FIRST READING: Isaiah 42: 1-4; 6-7. Thus says the Lord; Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not fail or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. "I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness." EXPLANATION. In second-Isaiah (40-55) there are a series of oracles which describe a "servant of Yahweh" who is to come. He will have the qualities of a king, priest and prophet but to a greater degree. He will suffer for his people and be put to death because he carries out the will of (Yahweh) God to the letter. But God will again raise him up and give him numerous spiritual offspring. The New Testament and Christian tradition have always seen these oracles as messianic prophecies. They were fulfilled in Jesus Christ and in him only. whom I uphold: God is his support and strength for it is God who has "chosen" him and in him God is "pleased." St. Matthew and St. Mark and St. Luke say these words were repeated from heaven when Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan: "Thou art my beloved (chosen) servant (son, in Greek, can be translated son or servant, like boy in English) in whom I am well pleased." (Lk. 3: 22; Mk. 1: 11; Mt. 3: 17).
I have put my Spirit: In the Old Testament the spirit of God was bestowed on kings, priests and prophets. It is given to the servant because
he will . . . justice to the nations: He shall proclaim the will, the law of God, not only to the Jews but to all nations---his jurisdiction will be universal.
not cry . . . or lift . . . voice: Unlike oriental despots, he will accomplish his missions quietly and kindly.
bruised reed . . . burning wick: Nothing is more useless than a broken reed, nothing more loathsome than a smoking wick as used in the lamps of those days. Yet this servant can and will make something of them---his mercy and power can reach to the very dregs of humanity. Our Lord speaking of "mercy" applies these verses of Isaiah to himself (Mt. 12: 15-21).
Justice in the earth: To establish the justice, that is, the will of God on earth, is his mission---he will persevere, come what may, until he has done this.
the coastlands: The nations will anxiously wait until he comes to bring them his teaching, i.e. the law of God. The Jews have some knowledge of it already.
I . . . Lord have called you: His mission is from God; his power is from God, "I have grasped you by the hand," and
I . . . the hand: refers to Christ's human nature. The words used are those used in describing Adam's creation.
covenant . . . light: The Jews had already a covenant, a pact with God, but the servant will make a new one and the nations will share in it; they too will have his light.
Blind . . . prisoners . . . darkness: His work is to open the spiritual eyes of people, to free them from the captivity and the darkness of sin and ignorance of God. APPLICATION: This prophecy of second-Isaiah was chosen for today, the feast which commemorates the baptism of Christ in the Jordan, because on that occasion the Father's voice from heaven proclaimed that Christ was "his beloved servant in which he was well pleased." Following the interpretation of the inspired Evangelists and of the ancient and constant tradition of the Church, we can have no hesitation in seeing in these words of second-Isaiah, written five centuries or so before Christ, a description of the Savior who came on earth to teach Jew and Gentile the new law of God, the law of love and mercy. He who was the Son of God took our human nature in order to represent us, and as one of us to give our heavenly Father the perfect obedience and service which no mere man had done ever since the creation, and which no mere man could ever do. This perfect obedience or service of God which Christ, the perfect servant, gave the Father, went as far as the acceptance of the shameful and excruciating death on a cross. But all this he accepted gladly for us---it was in our name he did it---and because he did it, we are all raised to a new relationship with God. He has made us all, Jew and Gentile, the whole human race, adopted sons of his heavenly Father. As members of his mystical body we can now, because he is our Head, give a service to God worthy of our new status, a service which God accepts from us because it is given to him and through "Christ our Lord." Today, as we offer the Mass, the sacrifice of Christ renewed before our eyes, let us try to realize the privilege that is ours. We are able, through Christ, to offer a sacrifice which gives infinite honor to God. We are able in spite of all our weaknesses and all our faults to give a service that is pleasing to God and to make some return for all he has done for us. We have become "good and faithful servants" because Christ the Son of God became the perfect servant of God for our sakes.
SECOND READING: Acts 10: 34-38. Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him." EXPLANATION: These verses of Acts are read for us today because they contain a reference to our Lord's baptism. This reference occurs in a very interesting event which took place soon after the Ascension and is described in Acts 10: 1; 11: 18. Cornelius, a pagan Roman officer stationed in Caesarea in Palestine, a devout man who admires the God of the Jews and the religion of the Jews, is told by an angel to send for Peter. Peter in the meantime has seen a vision from which he learns that the Gentile is as welcome into the fold as the Jew. He comes to Cornelius and baptizes him and his household---the first Gentile family to be accepted into the Christian Church and by none other than by the Prince of the Apostles, Peter himself. Having heard Cornelius's story, Peter has these words to say:
God shows no partiality: Because of the vision he saw and because of the words of Cornelius he has just heard, from which it is evident that Cornelius is dear to God, Peter understands that Christ's salvation is not only for Jews but for Gentiles too.
who fears him . . . to him: He who accepts and respects God does God's will.
the word to . . . Israel: Christ preached to the Jews only, but he gave the order to his Apostles to preach to all nations.
preach . . . by Jesus Christ: This is the essence of the gospel: peace with God and peace between all men brought about by Christ's sojourn on earth.
Galilee . . . John preached: Peter gives a brief summary of Christ's public life in Palestine.
God anointed Jesus: This refers to the descent of the spirit in visible form on Jesus at his baptism in the Jordan, and to the words of the Father proclaiming him his beloved servant-the Messiah. He was the Messiah from the moment of his conception but this was first made evident on the occasion of his baptism and proved apodictically at his resurrection. This was his anointing, i.e. the moment of his inauguration, as the kings and priests were anointed when they actually took on their office.
doing good . . . healing: A reference to the miracles of Jesus of which Cornelius must have heard.
oppressed . . . devil: Epilepsy, madness and most mental illnesses as well as many bodily defects, were attributed directly to the devil at that time. By healing the sufferers, Christ showed his power over the demons.
God was with him: He had the divine power which miracles demand, only God can alter the laws of nature, which he has made. Prophets and holy men in the Old Testament worked miracles by calling on God to give them this power; Christ was God; through his own power he worked his miracles. APPLICATION: That day, nearly two thousand years ago, when Christ by his baptism in the Jordan, began his public preaching of salvation for all men, is a day---a feastday---no true Christian can ever forget. The baptism of John was for sinners---a sign of change of heart and a turning to God. Christ had no sin, he had never turned away from God, he was God---but he was the representative of sinful humanity. He represented us sinners that day and opened the door of salvation for us. In that ceremony Christ was proclaimed by the heavenly Father to be his son and faithful servant, and the power of the Holy Spirit came upon him. But this was all for us; as God he already had all things in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But in his human nature---our weak human nature which he took on himself in order to be one of us, and our representative---he was on that day proclaimed God's true and faithful servant. At the same moment we human beings were accepted in him and through him (i.e. through his perfect obedience even unto the death on the cross) as God's adopted children. The mission of Christ was for us. The Incarnation took place because God's infinite love wanted man, the masterpiece of his whole creation, to have a share in the divine gifts of the Blessed Trinity. God united the divine with the human nature in Christ. We mortal men were raised above our human nature; we would become immortal, not that we would never die on this earth---Christ himself died in his human nature-but "he would raise us up on the last day" to share forever with the Father, the Holy Spirit and the Incarnate Son the eternal bliss of heaven. How could a Christian, one who knows all this, ever refuse to do the little part he is called on to do---"to fear God, that is, to reverence and respect him and to do what is right"? Reverence and respect for God should come easily from anyone who realizes what God has done for him. But true respect for God is not proved by a few distracted prayers and a grudging attendance at Sunday Mass. It is proved by striving to keep the laws Christ gave us, i.e. doing what is right, every day of our lives. This is difficult at times but if we keep our eternity---the unending life---before our eyes, the few short years of hardship and training on earth, will seem very short indeed. There is no comparison between what God has prepared for us, and promises us, and the trifling conditions he asks us to fulfill in order to earn his promised reward.
GOSPEL: Luke 3:15-16; 21-22. As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ. 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." Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 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."-c064EXPLANATION: In chapter 3: 1-22, St. Luke tells us of the Baptist's preaching and baptizing at the Jordan. This appearance of John the Baptist was causing great excitement. The people flocked to him from all over the country. We learn from St. John's Gospel that some men from Galilee had become his disciples, Andrew, namely, and most probably John, and that others including Peter, brother of Andrew, and Philip were in the vicinity (Jn. 1: 35-45).
People . . . were in expectation: The messianic prophecies of the Old Testament were well-known to the people. Someone was to come who would be their leader, their king and their liberator. As subsequent events show, it was a political leader and liberator they were looking for at this time, but the coming liberation would be a spiritual one.
perhaps . . . the Christ: The Hebrew title given for some centuries past to the One who was to come was the Messiah, which means the Anointed, for he was to be king, priest and prophet, and all three of these were anointed with oil before assuming office. The Greek word for anointed is Christos, hence the English Christ, the surname given to Jesus. Some of the people thought the Baptist might be the expected Messiah but this he very vehemently denied.
mightier than I am: The Christ is much more powerful, much more important than himself. He, the Baptist, is not even worthy to be his lowly servant---the one who should untie his sandals and do other menial tasks for him.
He will baptize you: John's baptism was only a symbol representing the interior conversion from sin and worldliness. The baptism which Jesus would confer on those really converted to him, would do what it signified, it would be a reality not a symbol.
the Holy Spirit: Those receiving Christ's baptism will receive grace, the friendship, indeed the sonship of God, as well as other gifts through the giving of the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier.
with fire: In the Old Testament purification of objects by passing them through fire was a ritual practice (Numbers 31: 23), and the presence of God was frequently surrounded by fire (Gn. 15: 17; Ex. 3: 2). Baptism "with fire" then means a thorough purification and the presence of God in him thus purified. (see Mt. 3: 14).
Jesus . . . also had . . . baptized: Jesus insisted (see Mt. 3: 14) that John the Baptist should wash him with water as he washed the other sinners. He had no sin to repent of but he represented all of us sinners that day.
Holy Spirit . . . in bodily form: A vivid description of the inward reality. At the beginning of his mission of salvation for all men, the Messiah, in his human nature, received the fullness of divine assistance.
a voice . . . from heaven: God the Father, at the same time, proclaims that this is the Messiah, the "servant of God , foretold by the second-Isaiah (42: 1-7), which we have heard in the first reading today. That he was more than a mere human servant, that he was God as well, was not understood by those at the Jordan that day, but it was understood and accepted by the disciples and their converts from the day of Pentecost. This fact is testified to by all three Evangelists who change "servant" into "Son" when citing the words of the Father which words are a quotation from Isaiah 42: 1. John does not describe the baptism of Jesus but in describing the Baptist's activity he ends with, "I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God" (Jn. 1: 34). APPLICATION: Of the hundreds of Jews who had flocked to hear the Baptist's message, and who were present when Christ insisted on going through John's baptismal rite and who had probably heard the words from heaven proclaiming him to be the expected Messiah, only two left the Baptist and followed him. One of these was Andrew and the other was most probably John the Evangelist. Later in that day Andrew told Peter, his brother, that he had found the Messiah and Peter joined him too. What was wrong with the hundreds of others? We are told they were all agog about the Messiah and were wondering in their hearts if John was not he. Yet when the real Messiah was pointed out to them they did nothing about it. John had told them the Messiah would baptize them, not with water as he did, but with the Holy Spirit of God, and with fire. As Jews they must have understood that this meant he would make of them a holy people, a spiritual people, a people close to God and cleansed from all earthly attachments. Was it this that held them back? Were their hearts so centered on the things of earth, the things of this life, that they had no time for things spiritual? Were they so anxious for a king, a messiah, who would set them free from the hated pagan Romans and give them once more a powerful earthly kingdom, that talk of the kingdom of God and of a spiritual life made no impression on them? Their dealings with Christ during his public mission amongst them, their disbelief, their opposition, their persecution, which led eventually to the death on the cross answer these questions for us. The vast majority of the Jews of that day did not want a spiritual Messiah or kingdom. They were not interested in a heaven of the future, they wanted their heaven, their happiness, and prosperity here on earth. Before we pass any judgement on such folly let us have a look into our own hearts today. We are Christians, we are followers of Christ, we know he was God, we believe his word. We are convinced that getting to heaven is more important than getting all the treasures and pleasures this earth has to offer. But do we always live up to these convictions, are we true Christians the seven days of the week? In our work, in our speech, in our dealings with others, in our family life are we truly following Christ and his teaching? Is my way of life, my daily conduct, such that it would cause a non-Christian to say: "That man has something noble and sensible about him, that man is concerned with the things that really matter; that man has an inward peace and sense of security which I have not got, a sense of peace and security which comes not from the things of this world. I must find out what it is and get it for myself?" In all sincerity I cannot see any non-Christian speaking thus of me today, but helped by God's grace, it could and may be truly said of me in the days to come. God grant that this may be so.-c064 Click to return to our Home page
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