Baptism of the Lord Year C Homily

Merry Christmas!

With the conclusion of today’s celebration of the Baptism of the Lord we are brought to the conclusion of the Christmas season.

This celebration can be a bit confusing for us because we know that Christ was born free of all sin including that of original sin. Therefore we should ask why Christ was baptized in the baptism of John the Baptist and what exactly are the effects of baptism for us.

Christ was lead into the waters of baptism, not to be freed from the stain of sin, but instead to lead us by the example of what we must do in order to be cleansed of our sin and thus to be incorporated into the life of the Church. The Baptism of Saint John the Baptist is different from the baptism in which the Christian receives. The Baptism of John ultimately prepares the receiver to straighten the path of their life in order that they may be prepared to follow after the Messiah.

We now participate in baptism because through its waters we have been prepared to follow after the Messiah who is Christ. In baptism the child is welcomed outside of the doors of the Church and is thus received into the Church. Through baptism the child has been incorporated into the life of Christ and thus they are anointed with the Sacred Chrism for they now share with Christ as priest, king, and prophet. We must remember these three traits of baptism and thus always be found ready to live them out in our everyday life.

We share with Christ as priest because we are able to partake in the Sacraments of the Church. This means that when in danger of death from sickness or old age one has the rite to receive Anointing of the Sick and thus receive assistance on the possible journey from life into death. This means that we are able to flock towards the Sacrament of our Lord’s mercy, which is the Sacrament of Confession. The Sacrament of Confession is necessary for how can we invite Christ into our life if we are found to be vile on the inside? How can we be a shining light which brings Christ into this world touched by sin if don't in return entrust ourself to the Lord’s mercy? This also means that we may come forward to share in the Eucharist where Christ continues to nourish us through His Body and Blood.

We share with Christ as king for through the Sacrament of Baptism the doors of the Heavenly Kingdom have been opened to us. We must stay awake in order that our advisory, the devil, may not prevail over us. It is for this reason that we flock towards the Sacraments and thus intrust ourself to the Lord’s mercy. It is for this reason that we heed the words of Saint John the Baptist and thus set straight the path for the coming of the Messiah. For through this effort we come to know God who is love.

Finally, we are able to participate with Christ as prophet. It is the role of a prophet to be sent out and to draw others to God. Through baptism we too have been sent forth to incorporate our faith into our daily life. It is up to us to draw other souls to encounter the love of Christ and thus assist them in desiring this same relationship for themselves. What we have on our side is the authenticity of truth, a truth which is contained within the Gospels and guarded over by our bishops who are the successors to the apostles. Why would we not want to share this truth with others and thus invite other souls to fill these pews and to partake of the Sacred Mysteries of Our Lord’s Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension into Heaven which unfold before our sight?

May we continue to be found willing to follow after Christ. He heads into the waters of baptism and thus extends an invitation to come and follow after Him. May we always renew in ourself what was begun at the moment of our baptism and thus continue to follow after Christ as we participate in the life of His Church, as we strive for the Kingdom of Heaven, and as we assist other souls in joining us there at the end of time. May we truly be willing to follow after Christ who always leads us in the path of truth.