Freedom and New Life (Lord’s Baptism C)

Christian Duguay's Golden Globe-nominated film, Human Trafficking, depicts the horrible world of sex slavery where abducted girls are reduced into sex commodities to be sold and resold over and over to insatiable patrons of this sex industry. The film unfolds the story of four girls who have been kidnapped from across the world and consigned into the hellish prison of international sex trade without hope of escape. Only a specialized team of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are determined to bring down the global network that sponsors such heinous crimes.

One of the four victims is Nadia, a 16-year old girl from Kiev.  She winds up in the brothel after signing up, without her father’s knowledge, for what she believed to be an opportunity for modelling.  Desperate to find her, Nadia’s father sets out to save her and risks his own life by joining the syndicate that runs the dangerous world of sex trade. He has no hope of saving her unless he enters the evil world of sex industry where she is held as a slave. In the end, the risk he has taken pays off. Nadia is reunited with his father.

What has this to do with the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism?  Allow me to spell out two things.  But already at the outset, we can maintain that the film’s motif of slavery and liberation lends itself to a deeper appreciation of our Lord’s baptism which has to be understood within the similar biblical motif of slavery of sin and the promise of salvation.

First point, the Saviour’s solidarity with the sinners. Was there a need for Jesus to be baptized by John? John’s baptism was a summons to repentance and conversion.  It was directed then to the sinners.  Jesus was everything like us except sin. Hence, as far as Jesus’ personal spiritual life was concerned, He did not need John’s baptism.

But why did He submit to John as recalled now by our gospel reading (Lk 3:15-16, 21-22)? Some biblical scholars suggest that Jesus’ submission to baptism is his act of fully identifying himself with the sinful people whom He is called to save.  His public calling as a saviour demands that He be in solidarity with those whom John has called to conversion.  Very similar to the decision of Nadia’s father to bravely enter the world of sex trade to save her, for only this, risky as it may be, gives a glimmer of hope for Nadia’s liberation.

The baptism of our Lord then marks Jesus’ resolve to embrace us even more in our sinful condition in order to save us. He enters our world of slavery that He may liberate us. No wonder that He finds time to laugh and dine with the sinners.  This commitment to be in solidarity with the sinful people culminates in his passion and death on the cross. He pays the price of our sins; and in his resurrection, wins for us our freedom, our new life, and our salvation.

This gives profound meaning to our own baptism.  When we are “immersed” into the water of baptism, we experience ritually our burial into Christ’s death, from which we rise up by resurrection with him, as new creatures (CCC 1214). Our baptism incorporates us into the death and resurrection of our Lord, hence, bringing about new life in Christ.

Nadia cannot help but weep for joy as she realizes her freedom, safety, and new life with her loving father who has risked everything for her.  On this feast of the Lord’s baptism, let us relish the freedom and new life that Jesus has won for us over the slavery of sin and death.

Second point, the Saviour’s true identity.  It’s too risky to plunge into the world of sin. One can easily lose oneself.  But Nadia’s father survives in the sneaky world of sex industry because He knows who he is.  During a raid in one of the brothels, he is cornered by a police officer to whom he appeals, “I am Nadia’s father. I must go and find her.” And he runs away to continue his search. 

Jesus needs to know his true identity as He decides, in his baptism, to be fully identified with the sinful people.  The gospel of Luke reports that after Jesus’ baptism and in his prayer, the Father’s assurance comes as a voice from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with whom I am well pleased” (Lk 3:22). This certainly gives Jesus a shot in the arm in fulfilling his mission. With clarity, He brings with him his true identity as he embarks into the sinful world of the people He is called to save. He is to walk not in the ways of sin but always in the ways that please God, His Father.

In our baptism, we become adopted sons and daughters of God in Christ. And this identity is indelible.  In this sinful world where we move and live, we need to be always reminded about who we really are, lest we easily lose ourselves.  We are the children of God.  Amid the growing Godlessness of our societies and cultures, do we have the conviction to stand as God’s children whose only resolve is to do what pleases the Father?

The world as it is now is beset with terrifying structures of sin.  One of these is the impenetrable structures of human trafficking and sex industry as an example. Lest we succumb to despair, let us allow the Feast of the Lord’s baptism to bring us hope—one that springs from our conviction that we have a God who journeys with us through the road of salvation  and that He calls us his children, hence, empowering us to create structures of grace where freedom and new life is celebrated.

Facing Death Smiling (5th Sunday Lent A)

Nong Titoy was my favorite Kaabag (Eucharistic Lay Minister).  I admired him because of his selfless and uncomplaining manner of serving the Church in many and varied ways. In him I witnessed how, in poverty, a man can still be very generous with his time and the gift of himself. He was old enough to be my own father yet he had shown me deep respect. When he knew he was dying of cancer, he asked for me.  While lying on his bed, he took my hand and brought it to his forehead saying, “Bless me, Father… I’m dying.” Then he sobbed silently still holding my hand. I asked him if he was in pain. He looked at me and told me he was afraid. He continued sobbing.

A little later while I administered the anointing, I told him how much I admired him as a faithful disciple of Christ, that I was really grateful for his generosity in serving the Church, that I was very proud of him.  Jesus was even more proud of him and would certainly not lose him for the Spirit of the Lord had always been with him as manifested in the way he lived.

With the assurance of Christ’s mercy and love, Nong Titoy realized he had no reason to be afraid. As we continued chatting a little bit more, his sobs gradually turned into laughter, albeit, faint and weak. He was smiling when I left. And that was my last picture of him.

Helplessness in death.  Without Jesus Christ in our life, death is frightening.  It could mean the end of everything that we have and are.  As we die, we can be filled with anxiety and fear because, without Christ, everything we have valued and cherished in this life will turn into nothing.  Without Christ, death is the end of everything for us. Period. That’s frightening.

And what is even more cruel is the experience of our helplessness in the face of death.  Death comes, like it or not. While we may be able to postpone it, we cannot do anything to stop it. In the gospel reading today, Martha expressed such helplessness in the absence of Christ: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (Jn. 11: 21). But it seems, in the gospel reading, Jesus allowed the feeling of helplessness to be experienced by Lazarus.  He came four days too late.  Rather than do a miracle for his friend’s sake, He seemed to have allowed death to claim Lazarus.

Why so? Perhaps, helplessness brings forth humility to accept our total dependence on God’s life-giving Spirit.  Without this source of life, we die and that’s it. Helplessness in the face of death makes us realize the power of what Jesus claims in the gospel reading: “I am the resurrection and the life whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live” (Jn. 11:25). In helplessness we realize that only God can open our graves, as promised by the Prophet Ezekiel in the first reading, and have us rise from them. Only God can put his spirit in us that we may live. In helplessness we realize, as Lazarus’ family did, that only in and through Jesus Christ that death is vanquished and new life may flourish.

Life in the Spirit.  Lazarus symbolizes the Christian, the believer, who has died in the flesh but has been given life in the spirit by the Risen Lord. Lazarus stands for all the members of the early Christian community in Rome addressed by St. Paul in the second reading (Rom 8:8-11) in these words:  “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. “  St. Paul explains to the Christian community in Rome that they now have the life in spirit through the indwelling of the Spirit of the one who raised Christ from the dead.

Lazarus symbolizes you and me today. Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we now possess the eternal life of the spirit. This gift of new life is realized in us sacramentally through our submission to baptism. In baptism, we celebrate our faith in Jesus.  Through the ritual act of immersion into the baptismal water, we symbolically experience our helplessness in death; and by emerging from the water, we joyfully rise with new life, the gift of the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us.

Invitation to Live Fully.  We easily think of eternal life as a future gift. By thinking so, often we miss to appreciate the gift of that same divine life—the life in the spirit--already given to us through our baptism. Jesus is the resurrection and life. Anyone who believes in him, even if he dies, will live. This is so because we already possess here and now the life given by Christ. Our physical death is only our passage to the fullness of eternal life.

Easter is approaching.  The joy of Lenten anticipation of Easter looks forward to the celebration of the triumph of Christ over sin and death.  The joy reminds us to live out fully every day the gift of new life that Christ has won for us and has given us in baptism. When we have lived out fully our life in the spirit—characterized by our love and service of God and neighbor--we can face our own death smiling as Nong Titoy did.  For with the spirit of the risen Christ already dwelling in us, death is nothing but a passage to the consummation of the gift of life well-lived.    

Identity and Mission (Baptism of our Lord B)

(grabbed from http://elcaandy.blogspot.com)

After an exhausting hectic schedule of activities during the Christmas season, a parish priest and his parochial vicar felt they needed a break like going, perhaps, to a place where they can enjoy their peace and quiet. So, they talked about their options. To cut the story short, they ended up in Boracay! Not bad. To maximize their resting experience, they decided to be anonymous. So they sported clothes usually worn by tourists. When they were there lying on the beach with their sunglasses on, a gorgeous lady in a sexy two-piece red bikini was passing by. But they were surprised because the lady hesitated but greeted them: “Hello there, good morning… enjoy the day… FATHERS.” They were taken aback! How did this lady recognize them as priests! They thought of changing their outfits. So they rushed to the nearest store to buy new sets of more daring clothes! The next morning they were again seated on the sand enjoying the lovely view. Again this same sexy lady was passing by. The two priests were confident that they would no longer be recognized. The lady passed by. Greeted them: “Have a nice day… FATHERS!” The parish priest called out: “Hey, miss. Yes, we are priests but how on earth did you recognize us?” The lady smiled. Took off her sunglasses and said, “Oh… Fathers… you didn’t recognize me… I’m Sister Rebecca.”

Where does our identity lie? Is it in the clothes we wear? Or more precisely to the point I would like to make, where does our Christian identity lie? Is it in the Christian name we carry? Is it in the documents we bring along with us? Perhaps the baptismal certificate?  Or in the fact that we are present in the festive church activities like the Misa de Gallo perhaps? Or later, holy week activities?

Several years ago, I participated in the tabulation and analysis of the result of the survey done in Mindanao in preparation for the Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference (MSPC). And one of the significant observations that came out of the survey was the phenomenon which had been brought out by PCP II already in 1991-- the phenomenon of nominal Catholicism. Nominal. Nombre. Name. In other words, Catholics in name only! These are baptized Catholics. They are baptized but, alas, not evangelized. They bear Christian names and documents but they have not allowed the euangelion--- the gospel-- to shape their lives. No wonder, the Philippines enjoys the dignity of being the only Christian country in Asia, while all at the same time topping the ranks of the most corrupt ones!

The Feast of the Baptism of our Lord today allows us to realize that there is more to baptism than just receiving a name and that if we just all understood the meaning of our baptism and we live by it, we would not be confronted with this phenomenon of nominal Catholicism.  Let us then examine the event of the baptism of our Lord and see what it teaches us as regards our own baptism and identity as Christians.

In today’s gospel (Mk. 1:7-11), Jesus was baptized by John and a voice was heard from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (v. 11). This is a confirmation of Jesus’ own discernment about who he is. In Mark's gospel, which does not have Jesus' infancy narrative, it is on Jesus' baptism that Jesus' divine sonship is manifested for the first time. His baptism. therefore, is the moment of revelation about his true identity. On his baptism, Jesus confirms that He is the Son of God.

Connected to this identity is his mission as the Messiah.  On this same event of his baptism, Jesus was anointed by the Spirit who descended upon Him like a dove (v. 10).    He was anointed as the Messiah who would bring the good news of the Kingdom of God. In Luke's gospel, after Jesus' baptism, Jesus would stand in the synagogue and proclaim that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him and anointed him to bring good news to the poor. To give sight to the blind, to set the captives free… (Lk 4: 18).

Jesus baptism reveals to him both his identity and his mission. My dear friends, our baptism is a baptism after that of the Lord’s. Hence, like the baptism of our Lord, our baptism confers us with identity and mission. In baptism, we become sons and daughters of God in Christ. What a great dignity! An identity that will always be there whether we are on vacation or not. Have we lived up to such greatness of dignity? Do I show in my way of living the fact that I am God’s son or daughter?

Connected to this dignified identity is the Christian mission. Our baptism confers us with the threefold mission of Christ--priestly, prophetic, and kingly missions. As priests, we are sent to sanctify our families and communities through our prayer and worship, As prophets, we are sent to proclaim with joy to the whole world the Good News of God’s love and to denounce with courage the destructive influence of evil. As kings, we are sent as humble servants to journey with the poor, to help provide for the deprived, and to work for the empowerment of the oppressed. Have I embraced my mission with joy and dedication?

Today we start the first week in ordinary time. I think this is the real challenge: Our baptism has to be lived out not just in the peak moments of our Church life. We have to be faithful to our identity and mission day after day! And this is because our Christian faith does not take a leave. Christian faith is not contained in papers. Christian faith is a lifestyle. It is a way of life--whether we are at work or we are enjoying our peace and quiet in some exotic place.

Holy Heroes (Baptism of Our Lord A)

HOLY HEROES. This was the title of the formation program for the Year of the Laity in 2014 published by the CBCP’s Commission on the Laity. “Holy Heroes,” we now recall, embodies the theme “Called to be Saints, Sent Forth as Heroes.” All these refer to the vocation of the laity to live holy and heroic lives amid the challenges and opportunities in the Church and in society.

This is, indeed, a far cry from the outmoded pay-pray-and-obey passive view of the laity’s role in the Church. And thanks be to God! We are now outgrowing the highly clericalized Church, dominated by the hierarchy of bishops, priests, and religious where the laity is passive and silent alienated from the real life and mission of the Church.

What is the key to the growing respect for a more active and participative role of the laity? I believe it is the deeper appreciation of the grace of baptism. It is by virtue of our common baptism that we all share in the responsibility of fulfilling the Church’s mission of evangelization.

(picture grabbed from http://joyfulpapist.wordpress.com)

Today’s Feast of the Lord’s Baptism lends itself to our desire to gain deeper insights into our own baptism in Christ.

Why did Jesus Christ submit himself to John’s baptism of repentance? In today’s gospel reading (Mt 3:13-17), John tried to prevent Jesus from being baptized as he felt unworthy and, of course, as he knew that Jesus had no need of repentance.   But the Lord insisted that this must be allowed in order to “fulfill all righteousness” (v. 15). This refers to Jesus’ acceptance of God’s salvific will, i.e. Jesus was to come as Savior in sharing the lot of a sinful people while being recognized as God’s son. Indeed, after Jesus was baptized, the spirit of God descended upon him and a voice came from heaven, saying: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (v.16-17).

In short, Jesus’ baptism was a confirmation of his identity as the beloved Son of God and his mission as the Savior of all nations. 

Similarly, we can understand our own baptism in Christ in terms of this identity-mission paradigm.  We are called to be saints and sent forth as heroes.

Called to be Saints. In baptism, we die in Christ as we immerse in water and rise into new life with Christ as we emerge from the water of baptism.  Hence, we are born into new life, new identity. We become the beloved sons and daughters of God through Jesus Christ.

Indeed, the old life enslaved by sin is no more. In baptism, we are called to be faithful to our identity as adopted sons and daughters of God. Every day, all of us are called to live holy lives. We are called to be saints. I believe, this simply means that we sustain the divine life we share in Christ through baptism.

Many years ago, the call to holiness tended to be understood as directed only to the religious people and priests probably because of their religious vows and ordination to the sacred orders.  While indeed they ought to be effective witnesses and models of holy lives, they do not have the exclusive right to this calling. Now, we have accepted with ease that it is our common baptism that makes this calling to holiness universal.  The laity too is called to live holy lives. They are called to be saints, God’s sons and daughters whom God is well pleased.

Sent Forth as Heroes.  Heroes are those with strong sense of mission.  They go out of their own comfort zones and lay down everything they have even their lives for causes beyond their own personal interest, i.e., for love of others, God and country.

In baptism and confirmation, we all receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. All baptized are enabled by the Spirit to participate in the mission of Christ. With manifold charisms, we all enrich the ministries and apostolate of the Church which are but the expressions of our participation in the threefold missions of Christ—the priestly, prophetic, and kingly missions.

Again, today we have gradually left behind the understanding that the mission of the Church belongs only to the clergy and religious. The lay people also are now recognized as missionaries. By virtue of baptism, they have the empowering gifts of the Holy Spirit which translate into the tasks of participating in the life and mission of the Church.

The lay are sent as heroes. The world needs heroes—heroes who sanctifies families and communities through their prayer and worship, heroes who joyfully proclaim to the world the Good News of God’s love and who firmly denounce the destructive influence of evil, heroes who lay down their lives in service of the poor, the deprived, and the oppressed. They are heroes who are priestly, prophetic, and kingly after the heart of Jesus Christ.

On this Feast of the Lord’s Baptism, we pray for the renewal of the Church's sense of mission through the empowerment of the lay people by virtue of their baptism, activating their charisms from the Spirit, so that they may indeed take up their role as co-responsible agents of evangelization and of social transformation. May the appreciation of the beauty and power of their baptism help them take up their calling to become holy heroes, called to be saints and sent forth as heroes into the world.