Sunday Gospel Reflection
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire

Introduction

A Time For Quiet Realization

Has something of importance ever slipped by you unnoticed? When did you realize its importance? What did you do about it?

I don't know about you. But I can only do one thing at a time. "Multitasking" is difficult for me. I stand in awe of people who can do more than one thing at a time.

When I am pressured and try to do more than one thing at the moment, I can get confused. These are the times I am vulnerable. Someone could approach me with a matter of importance, and I would treat it as trivial. I must admit I have made too many wrong decisions when important decisions needed to be made. Simply because I was distracted, confused.

If you are like me, then a time for reflection each day is a must. For, in reflection, we can see the gravity of events around us. And take action.

Jesus was no different. But his reflection came in times of prayer

First Reading
Isaiah 42:1,2,3,4,6,7

1 "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."
..
6 "I, the LORD , have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Second Reading
Acts 10:34-38

34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism
35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Gospel Reading
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

15 As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ,
16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased."

Bible Study/Meditation

On the day of his baptism the Holy Spirit and the Father endorsed him as Son. The Spirit in the form of a dove descended to rest on him, while the Father spoke from heaven, "You are by beloved Son. With you I am well pleased." As yet, as far as we know, Jesus had not performed any miracles, had not taught any crowds, had not proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom, had told no parables, and had called and led no disciples. Yet, the Eternal God, God the Father, was not simply pleased with him, he was well pleased with him.
   
This incident tells us something both about the Father and the Son. The worth and value of Jesus the Son, was intrinsic, part of his essential nature. He was significant because of who he was, not only because of what he would do. In fact, what he later did was a result of who he was, not the other way around. This incident also indicates that the Father does not assign us worth based on our utilitarian value. We can not impress God, or make him love us more, or esteem us more valuable because we are useful to him. Contrariwise, we have value and significance because we are created in his image. In addition, through conversion and transformation we are being re-created into his divine image, "...through them [his power and promise] you may escape from the corruption that is in the
world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4)
   
Each baptism we observe should remind us of two things. First, we should recall the Lord's baptism, where he totally entered into our humanity, the Father and the Spirit esteemed him as the Son, well pleasing. Second, we should be reminded of our son-ship, that we too are the Father's child, esteemed as significant and well pleasing through faith in Jesus, and have been made "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ."

"The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God's suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already 'the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world'... At his baptism 'the heavens were opened'- the heavens that Adam's sin had closed - and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation. ... The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father's beloved son in the Son and 'walk in newness of life.'" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 536 and 537)

Reflections:

· Please re-read the phrase(s)/sentence(s) that move(s)/touche(s) you and what inner message of the heart is the Spirit whispering to you?

. For Luke, prayer was the time for grace, God with us. This could not be underestimated. Luke used the images of a actual dove and a actual voice to communicate the concrete reality of God's grace with us. The heavens were torn open, so there was no barrier between God and his people. [21-22] Grace was now present; the time of realization was in prayer.
  ----When do you realize times of grace? How has your prayer time given you those "graced" moments?

. Prayer is a time for gentle insight and peace. It is not earth shattering, but it can be earth moving. God can rule with justice, insight, and liberation, but we must take the time to realize his gifts in prayer.
  ----This week, plan for prayer time as a time for reflection. Slow down and concentrate on your words to God. And your presence with God. See how God will bless your time with him.

. Once baptized by Jesus through the Church, my relationship with God has been restored. However, I still have the freedom to choose between God's way and my own. Which one am I choosing?

. Realizing that I have been baptized with the power of the Holy Spirit, how am I going to cross the barriers set up by sins to come back to God who has been loving and waiting for me?

Prayer

Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit and inflame my heart with the joy of the gospel.   May I find joy in seeking to please you just as you found joy in seeking to please your Father.