Homily for Feast of the Baptism of the Lord 2008

It was sad to hear of the elderly man in Sydney who had been dead in his home for a year before he was found. Such things happen often enough. People often live in isolation in large cities. A solitary end like that is perhaps unavoidable sometimes given personal preferences of living.

That such things happen is an illustration of what we could call the absence of the reign of God.

That situation contrasts vividly with the spontaneous response of prayer and support when news of Jack Hurley's stroke got around the Parish. Jack as you may know is 15 and, due to a rare heart condition, had a severe stroke last week which almost killed him. Since then he has made remarkable even miraculous progress. He has some movement back in his right side which was paralyzed and some ability to vocalize. He will need to learn to walk and speak. Tom and Wendy are very grateful for the support they have received. They asked me to thank everyone sincerely for their prayer and practical support. Let us keep that going.

This kind of situation is an illustration of what we could call the reign of God becoming reality in our world: love, healing, and life. It is being Christ in the world. It is being Eucharist.

One could describe Original sin as simply the absence of the reign of God. We often speak of Baptism as removing Original sin. But baptism is more than the removal of something. It sets us on a path to enter the reign or kingdom of God. So Original sin is removed only because of what we become, children of God. The absence is filled. Baptism gives us a new identity as disciples of Christ, members of his body, with a mission in this world.

John the Baptist's baptism of Jesus was the starting point of Jesus' public ministry. It was to be a ministry that would fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah that we read today: "Here is my chosen one in whom my soul delights...... I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon" (Isaiah 42:1, 6, 7).

Our baptism, too, is more than a rite of passage or naming ceremony which some parents seem to be seeking when asking for baptism. Baptism is a beginning. Baptism gives us the grace and power to be part of Jesus mission.

Eucharist reminds us of who we are. We become the mystery we celebrate: the Body of Christ broken and given for the world. We easily forget. What have we done with the gifts we have been given? Or have we just seen our baptism as something that happened a long time ago as a baby and not our call to live our mission.

Being Christian is not just about doing a good turn for others. Even less is it about satisfying our own need for control by interfering in other people's lives. It is a vocation. It is living the call we accepted in our Baptism to love....

The Father at Jesus' baptism confirmed Jesus in his mission. Confirmed him as Son of God, his true identity. The words of the Father about Jesus could be the blessing of every parent as they baptize their children: "This is my Child, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

So ends the Christmas season.

Fr Graham