Friar’s Corner: Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire
Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR
Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 104:1b-4, 24-25, 27-30; Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
With this feast, the Baptism of the Jesus, the Christmas cycle ends. There are so many wonderful little things to meditate upon around the birth of Jesus. The shepherds were the first to come to see the true Lamb of God. Blessed Ann Catherine Emmerich tells us many other people came to visit “little Jesus” in the weeks surrounding his birth.
Last week we reflected the visit of the Magi with the gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. That represented the wider world recognizing the savior of the world. We sense Jesus was raised in the best Jewish family. In order for our liturgy to reflect on the whole life of Jesus in one year, we now jump to Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. After this Jesus accepts his first 3 apostles. Then he is lead by the Holy Spirit into the desert. There he fasted for 40 days and was tempted three times by the devil.
The meaning of two baptisms
What is the significance of Jesus’ baptism? He certainly did not need to repent of any personal sins since he was the perfect Son of God who came to earth and took on our fallen human nature. Now we go to ordinary time and watch Jesus begin to call his first apostles. In order to form these faithful Jewish fishermen, he does not take them into a classroom with a black or white board and computer. In the morning Jesus prays and his Father shows him what to do that day. The early followers then get on the job training. They learn from what Jesus was doing by example. Later they will be empowered to go out and do what Jesus did.
What is the difference of the baptism with the baptism of John and that of Jesus? John was a fiery preacher. He came preaching a change of life, repenting of past sins and water washing them away. Jesus also preached repentance. Jesus also used a cleansing water yet added his Holy Spirit and fire. What does that mean? It means that the part of the divine life of the Holy Trinity, Father, Jesus and their Spirit of love would live in those baptized and living in God’s new kingdom. I have sensed that the fire is a grace of zeal and excitement about living this new life in God. As Jesus came back from his forty days fast in the desert and began to baptize and preach, John told the people, John 3:30, “He (Jesus) must increase; I must decrease.” John’s baptism did end yet Jesus’ baptism is still increasing today some two thousand years later.
Most of you reading this have already been baptized at some point in your past life. You did receive the indwelling Trinitarian presence. If you were baptized as a child you did not make your own commitment to follow Jesus. Your parents or sponsors made that for you. As an adult, you must make your own decision. How can we tell if you have done that? Do you know the Holy Trinity especially the Holy Spirit? The bigger question is, are you on fire. Mostly you are not. Do those in your family and workplace know you are a loving and committed Catholic Christian? Are we full of loving acts?
Are we listening?
Some years ago Cardinal Mercier wrote a little prayer which, if we prayed is sincerely each day, would make us saints now. “O, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, … I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do…give me Your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all you permit to happen to me.”
After Jesus finished his work on earth, he went back to heaven. Then he and his Father poured out the fire of their love in the Upper Room on Pentecost Sunday. The Holy Spirit is in charge of empowering and guiding every baptized person for good in the world. Are we listening each day for some time in our twenty-four hour day? In most places, it doesn’t seem so. The world seems to be in quite a mess. Watch PBS news at night. Satan and his forces try to take the human race to hell with them. Jesus will ultimately defeat all of them; put them back into hell with the human followers and lock the door. I do not choose to go there. I only want to be on fire following Jesus my only Lord and Savior.
Last week I blessed your home or apartment for this year with the blessing of the Three Magi. Today I want to pray over every one of you for a Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is not another sacrament but a prayer asking our Father and Jesus to turn on the lights of understanding which was given to you at your baptism. This won’t be an earthquake or lightning strike. You will slowly become aware in your mind of what Jesus, his church and followers have said over these years. You will just become aware. Then you can ask for the fire of God’s love to fill you to overflowing so you can pray more getting closer to Jesus and go out into the world knowing Jesus and God’s plan is the only way to heaven. Our weapons against the darkness of our world are not guns and bombs killing other people, but prayer filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, I sincerely repent of all of my past sins and disobedience to your directives. I ask for forgiveness. I ask you to enlighten the darkness of my mind and fill me with the great fire of Your love for me. Thank you, Jesus. I love you, Jesus.
Have a great week in the love of the Holy Trinity.
Blessings,
(© 2019 Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR)
