THE LORD'S BAPTISM ...AND OURS

 Readings for Sunday, January 9, 2022

The Baptism of the Lord
Lectionary: 21

iv-Ħadd wara l-Epifanija
Il-Magħmudija tal-Mulej

 

Reading 1             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.

Qari 1              mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Iżaija 40:1-5,9-11

“Farrġu, farrġu l-poplu tiegħi”, jgħid Alla tagħkom. Kellmu lil qalb Ġerusalemm u għidulha li ntemm il-jasar tagħha, tħallset ħżunitha, ħadet mingħand il-Mulej darbtejn għal dnubietha kollha”. Leħen jgħajjat: “Ħejju t-triq għall-Mulej fid-deżert, wittu għal Alla tagħna mogħdija fix-xagħri. Jintradam kull wied, u jitniżżlu l-muntanji u l-għoljiet; kull art imħabbta titwitta kull art imħarbta ssir maqgħad. U tfiġġ il-glorja tal-Mulej, u l-bnedmin jarawha lkoll f’daqqa, għax fomm il-Mulej tkellem”. Itla’ fuq il-muntanja għolja, int li ġġib il-bxara t-tajba lil Sijon! Għolli leħnek bil-qawwa kollha, int li tagħti l-aħbar it-tajba lil Ġerusalemm; għajjat, la tibżax. Għid lill-ibliet ta’ Ġuda: “Hawn hu Alla tagħkom! Hawn hu Sidi l-Mulej, li ġej bil-qawwa, u jaħkem bil-qawwa ta’ driegħu. Hawn hu bi ħlasu miegħu, u r-rebħa tiegħu quddiemu. Bħal ragħaj li jirgħa l-merħla tiegħu; bi driegħu jiġmagħha, u l-ħrief fi ħdanu jerfagħhom; u n-nagħaġ ireddgħu bil-mod imexxihom”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Responsorial Psalm               PSALM 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30

O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
     you are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
     You have spread out the heavens like a tent-cloth;
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

You have constructed your palace upon the waters.
     You make the clouds your chariot;
you travel on the wings of the wind.
     You make the winds your messengers,
and flaming fire your ministers.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

How manifold are your works, O LORD!
     In wisdom you have wrought them allC
the earth is full of your creatures;
     the sea also, great and wide,
in which are schools without number
     of living things both small and great.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

They look to you to give them food in due time.
     When you give it to them, they gather it;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

If you take away their breath, they perish and return to the dust.
     When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

Salm Responsorjali             Salm 103(104):1b-2,3-4,24-25,27-28,29-30

R/.(1): Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!
Mulej, Alla tiegħi, inti kbir bil-bosta!
Bis-sebħ u l-ġmiel inti mlibbes,
bid-dawl, bħal b’mantell, inti mkebbeb.
Inti frixt is-smewwiet bħal tinda. R/.

Waqqaft fuq l-ilma l-għamajjar għolja tiegħek.
Inti tagħmel is-sħab mirkeb tiegħek,
fuq ġwienaħ ir-riħ tiġġerra.
L-irjieħ tagħmilhom ħabbara tiegħek,
u l-ilsna tan-nar qaddejja tiegħek. R/.

Kemm huma kotrana l-għemejjel tiegħek, Mulej!
Kollha bl-għerf għamilthom;
mimlija l-art bil-ħlejjaq tiegħek.
Dan il-baħar ta’ kobor u wisa’ bla tarf,
li fih jimraħ ħut bla għadd;
bhejjem żgħar u bhejjem kbar. R/.

Minnek jistennew il-ħlejjaq kollha
li tagħtihom ikilhom f’waqtu.
Inti tagħtihom, u huma jiġbru;
tiftaħ idejk, u jixbgħu bil-ġid. R/.

Jekk taħbi wiċċek, huma jinfixlu;
jekk teħdilhom nifishom, imutu,
u lejn it-trab jerġgħu jmorru.
Malli tibgħat in-nifs tiegħek, jinħolqu,
u inti ġġedded il-wiċċ tal-art. R/.

Reading 2                  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.

Qari 2              mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl lil Titu 2:11-14; 3:4-7

Ibni, dehret il-grazzja ta’ Alla, għas-salvazzjoni lill-bnedmin kollha; hi trawwimna nwarrbu l-ħażen u l-ġibdiet tad-dinja, biex ngħixu bir-rażna u l-ġustizzja u t-tjieba f’dan iż-żmien, u nistennew it-tama hienja u d-dehra tal-glorja tal-kbir Alla u Salvatur tagħna, Ġesù Kristu. Hu ta lilu nnifsu għalina biex jifdina minn kull ħażen u jnaddafna u jagħmel minna poplu magħżul għalih, poplu mħeġġeġ għall-għemil it-tajjeb. Iżda meta feġġet it-tjieba ta’ Alla, Salvatur tagħna, u l-imħabba tiegħu għall-bnedmin, hu salvana bil-ħasil ta’ twelid ġdid u t-tiġdid tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, mhux minħabba l-opri tajba li stajna għamilna aħna, iżda minħabba l-ħniena tiegħu. Dan l-Ispirtu hu xerrdu bil-kotra fuqna b’Ġesù Kristu, is-Salvatur tagħna, biex bis-saħħa tal-grazzja tiegħu nitqaddsu u nsiru werrieta tal-ħajja ta’ dejjem skont it-tama li għandna. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.

Gospel             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.”

:Evanġelju              Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Luqa 3:15-16,21-22

F’dak iż-żmien, il-poplu kien qiegħed jistenna ħerqan, u kulħadd kien jistaqsi lilu nnifsu dwar Ġwanni, jekk kienx hu l-Messija. Għalhekk Ġwanni qabad u qal lil kulħadd: “Jien, ngħid għalija, ngħammidkom bl-ilma, imma ġej wieħed aqwa minni, li ma jistħoqqlix inħollu l-qfieli tal-qorq tiegħu. Hu jgħammidkom bl-Ispirtu s-Santu u n-nar”. Ġara li, wara li tgħammed il-poplu kollu, Ġesù tgħammed ukoll u, waqt li kien qiegħed jitlob, is-smewwiet infetħu, u niżel l-Ispirtu s-Santu u deher fuqu fis-sura ta’ ħamiema. U mis-sema ġie leħen jgħid: “Inti Ibni l-għażiż; fik sibt l-għaxqa tiegħi”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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Eight-minute  Gospel reflection by Fr Antony Kadavil   

RENEWING OUR OWN BAPTISM

while witnessing the Baptism of the Lord

Introduction:

The Baptism of the Lord is the great event celebrated by the Eastern churches on the feast of Epiphany because it is the occasion of the first public revelation of all the Three Persons in the Holy Trinity, and the official revelation of Jesus as the Son of God to the world by God the Father. Hence, it is described by all four Gospels. It marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. (A homily starter anecdote may be added here)

The turning point: 

Jesus' baptism by John was a very important event in the Messianic mission. First it was a moment of identification with us sinners. Sinless, Jesus received the baptism of repentance to identify Himself with His people who realized for the first time that they were sinners. (As given in the anecdotes, St. Damien, Blessed Mother Teresa, Gandhi, and Mandela identified with the people whom they served).  

Second, it was a moment of conviction about Jesus’ identity and mission: that He is the Son of God and His mission was to preach the Good News of God’s love and salvation and to atone for our sins by becoming the “suffering servant.” God the Father’s words, “This is My beloved Son,” (Psalm 2:17), confirmed Jesus’ identity as Incarnate Son of God, and the words “with Whom I am well pleased,” (Isaiah 42:1), referring to the “suffering servant“), pointed to Jesus’ mission of atoning for the sins of the world by suffering and dying on the cross. 

Third, it was a moment of equipment. The Holy Spirit, descending and resting upon Jesus in the form of a dove, bestowed on Jesus the power to preach and heal.  

Fourth, receiving the approval of God, His Heavenly Father, as His Beloved Son presented Jesus with a moment of decision   to begin public ministry at the most opportune time.

Life messages:

(1) The baptism of Jesus reminds us of our identity. It reminds us of who we are and Whose we are.  By Baptism we become sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, members of his Church, heirs of Heaven, and temples of the Holy Spirit.

(2) Jesus’ baptism reminds us also of our mission:  

    a) to experience the presence of God within us, to acknowledge our own dignity as God’s children, and to appreciate the Divine Presence in others by honoring them, loving them and serving them in all humility; 

    b) to live as the children of God in thought, word and action.

    c) to lead  holy and transparent Christian lives and not to desecrate  our bodies (the temples of the Holy Spirit and members of Jesus’ Body), by impurity, injustice, intolerance, jealousy, or hatred; 

    d) to accept both the good and the bad experiences of life as the gifts of a loving Heavenly Father for our growth in holiness; e) to grow daily in intimacy with God by personal and family prayers, by meditative reading of the Word of God, by participating in the Holy Mass, and by frequenting the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

(3) It is a day to thank God for the graces we have received in Baptism, to renew our Baptismal promises and to preach Christ’s “Good News” by our transparent Christian lives of love, mercy, service and forgiveness.

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