January 10-11, 2009
The Baptism of the Lord
Isaiah 42:1-7 Acts 10:34-38 Mark 1:7-11
Six of one, half a dozen of another. Tomato or tomahhhhhhto, potato or potahhhhhto. Traditionally the Baptism of the Lord is considered the liturgical closing of the Christmas Season…but other official texts used in the Church refer to The Baptism of the Lord as ‘The First Sunday in Ordinary Time’. In any case, Christmas is now packed away as the infant Jesus has remarkably grown a whopping 30 years in just a few weeks. With the approach of the ADULT Jesus to be baptized by his cousin John in the River Jordan we begin afresh the opportunity to KNOW Jesus. Now, there is a HUGE difference e between knowing Jesus intellectually or doctrinally or as defined by assorted Church Councils….and KNOWING Jesus as an INDIVIDUAL PERSON. God enfleshed, who would sweat when it was hot, who bled when he cut himself in the carpentry shop, who enjoyed wine and camaraderie with his companions. All too often it seems people keep Jesus at an intellectual distance…sort of like presuming we know somebody just because we know their weight or birthday. Truly knowing somebody implies that we are willing to spend time with them, get to know both the good and the bad…and keep our tongues and don’t use our relationships for gain. Let’s put it this way….aside from knowing that Jesus is the Son of God….would you be the sort of person with whom Jesus would want to spend time, to simply hang out with? What would attract him to want to spend time with you? (And please, for the love of…..do not say that you would invite Jesus to Mass with you!) Would you try to clean up your act? Would you invite him into the seamier side of your life, the videos or shows or music with which you entertain yourself? (He already knows all about those you know.) Would you change the way you talk to your family or friends if you knew Jesus was coming for dinner? Why? Have we intellectualized Jesus to such a degree that, in our minds, he no longer understands our human foibles and interactions? Why is it such an impossibility to imagine that the Lord of Life can be just as earthy as the rest of us? Would you want to know such a Jesus? Would you be interested in spending time with him, getting to know yourself through his eyes? Well, you are in luck…because with the Baptism of the Lord, that’s what we now get to start doing…. ‘Pardon me, I’m not sure if you have met….this is Jesus…why don’t the two of you go over the table and get to know each other.’
Thank you for coming and sharing this January weekend with our Corpus Christi Community. You are welcome to accept a Bulletin on your way home, some nifty NEW programs getting started in the New Year…for 4th and 5th graders and even something for dads to just be dads (POPs). If you are Registered (and we hope you are!!!), you should have started to receive our annual Pastoral Services Appeal material. One letter should be arriving with the Diocese of Orange brochure…and this coming week you will be receiving OUR (Corpus Christi’s) VERY special 10th Anniversary PSA material entitled ‘Handing on the Body of Christ.’ Keep an eye out for it…you really don’t want to miss it! Next week, Fr. Gerry Horan, the Episcopal Vicar for Religious Education in the Diocese of Orange will be covering the 10:00 am and 12 Noon Masses as I will be leaving to immerse myself in history as it unfolds in Washington, D.C. Having lived in D.C. for two years in the early ‘80’s, I am heading back to experience the excitement of history in the making. Thanks for making Fr. Gerry comfortable and welcome. Don’t worry, I’ll probably end up sharing any nifty stories I encounter. Remember, whether I am here or in D.C., you are loved. FKB
