First Reading
The Baptism of the Lord–2010 Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by a strong arm; here is his reward with him, his
recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.
Second Reading
Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7
Beloved: The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good. When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Gospel Cycle Cycle C
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Gospel today reflects the experience of the early followers of Jesus. At first Jesus seems just a normal being, a young man who practices Judaism like all of his friends and family. Slowly there comes an understanding that He is the One who is to come, foretold by John the Baptist. The early followers of Jesus did not have the clear teachings of the Church, the example of the saints, nor the witness of living communities dedicated to the Lord.
Some people today want to believe that the Church is wrong, that saints are just relatively good people and that there is no need for living communities dedicated to the Lord Jesus. Some believe that the Church is a purely human institution and perhaps has done more evil that good throughout its history.
Faith is a gift and a mercy, as we hear in the Letter to Titus today. It is a gift for which we can pray and a gift to which we can be open. Not many today have the intense thinking capacity of Plato who was able use his own reason to come to some knowledge of God.
The God of Jesus Christ, however, reaches out to us and invites us to study the Scriptures and to come to know him. Isaiah the Prophet, in today’s first reading, echoes the hopes and desires of so many people who are not where they want to be, not who they want to be, who have been enslaved in one way or another.
At the Baptism of Jesus, something awesome happened. We are not sure what happened, but certainly something truly happened and Jesus takes up His ministry and people begin to recognize in Him the authentic teaching of God., a chosen servant of God and one who carries the sins of the world.
This Sunday also marks the end of the Christmas Season. When Jesus comes to be baptized, all of creation recognizes Him as Lord. He Himself seems to understand at this point that He must preach the good news. Thus the public ministry of Jesus begins with His baptism and for us Ordinary Time begins.
The time ahead of us is a time to listen attentively to the Word of the Lord, to listen to the words of Jesus and to look for the divine shining through all people and all creation. We can experience this God who loves us by becoming more aware of our own love, more aware of the mystery of human life, more aware of the goodness in every human person. If we want to know love, we must begin to practice and to be love in our own lives. May our Lord Jesus help us this year!