Baptism of the Lord

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011115.cfm

          We as human beings, learn a lot about many different things during our lifetime. Various psychologists and experts on these matters have pointed out that human beings do not all learn the same way either.  Some are more visual learners, for example.  Others learn more through listening and are called auditory learners.  Still others prefer a kinesthetic learning style, which means they learn through touch or by doing.  In general, however, we tend to learn through a combination of these styles.  Of course this wide variety of learning styles also means that there are a wide variety of teaching styles as well.  Those of you who are teachers know the value of using a variety teaching styles in order to teach a room full of students.  We all teach and learn in different ways. 

          Another method of teaching that we should not discount is teaching by example.  This is often brought up in conjunction with parents teaching their children good manners and how to behave: they try to give a good example of how to do those things.  This can also be effective in helping pass on the importance of faith and religion to others.  Parents who are able to give an example of how their Catholic faith brings them joy and happiness will likely pass along that joy and happiness to their children.  On the flip side, an example of living out the faith like it is a burden or a difficulty that one must endure is likely to give a very negative outlook on religion to the children.  A wide variety of skills in this life can also be taught by simply showing a good example of how to do those skills.

          I remember watching a special done on the news show, “20/20”.  It was made sometime in the 90's and was about a man named William Lishman.  William adopted a gaggle of young Canada Geese who were abandoned by their parents.  William eventually earned the nickname “Father Goose” because these geese followed him around his property like he was a surrogate parent.  All was going well, but William knew that eventually they needed to learn how to fly south or they would freeze to death in the winter.  Apparently, the concept of flying south isn't just done on instinct alone, at least not with Canada Geese.  A parent has to teach it's young how to flap its wings and build up speed in order to fly and then to head south to warmer climates.  Since geese can't talk, the adult geese do this by example.  Despite not having any wings of his own, “Father Goose” came up with an ingenious plan to teach his flock.  He used a homemade ultra-light aircraft to teach the birds how to fly.  As I recall it took several trial runs, but after some time they learned to follow him into the air and to fly with him.  He was finally able to lead them south in his aircraft before winter came.  Not only did he teach them how to fly by example, he even taught them how to migrate. 

          Now obviously, we are not being taught to fly south or migrate for the winter, though I'm sure there are some people who love it if that were the case.  However, we are able to learn quite a bit about other things through the example of others, as I mention before.  Jesus Christ strives to teach us many things through the example of His holy life.  His baptism in the River Jordan is one such example. 

          On the surface, the Baptism of the Lord seems like a pretty straight forward thing: Jesus goes down to the Jordan where His cousin John the Baptist has been baptizing and is baptized.  We see a manifestation of the Holy Trinity as well, with God the Father speaking, the Holy Spirit appearing as a dove, and Jesus the Son of God in the midst of it all.  We can read all of that right in the Gospel reading for today.  This still leaves a question that is still a very important one to ask: Why is Jesus being baptized anyway?  Think about it: We know Jesus is the Son of God, why would He need to get any closer to God.  Also, He is already a part of the Holy Trinity so He has no need to actually receive the Holy Spirit like the rest of us do.  Finally, Jesus was free from sin, so He had no need to be forgiven for any sins.  Why get baptized? 

          I recently read a sermon written by a bishop of the 5^th Century named St. Maximus of Turin.  The sermon is about the mystery of the Lord's baptism and why it is considered so important.  He starts by showing the connection and the similarities that this feast has with Christmas.  He says, “At Christmas he was born a man; today he is reborn sacramentally.  Then he was born from the Virgin; today he born in mystery.  When he was born a man, his mother Mary held him close to her heart; when he is born in mystery, God the Father embraces him with his voice when he says: This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased: listen to him.”   The saint explains that this is why Jesus came to be baptized.  Just as the Season of Christmas makes known who Jesus is as a human being, so also the Feast of the Baptism makes known who Jesus is sacramentally and spiritually.  He does this so that we may be made holy as well.  He continues in his sermon, “Someone might ask, ‘Why would a holy man desire baptism?’  Listen to the answer: Christ is baptized, not to be made holy by the water, but to make the water holy, and by his cleansing to purify the waters which he touched.”  Thus, even though Jesus did not need to be baptized, His baptism made our baptism so much more.  Our baptism cleanses us, purifies us, and makes us adopted sons and daughters of the most high God. 

          St. John explains in his first letter that we become children of God by believing in Him and in His Son, Jesus.  It is through our relationship with the Father and the Son that we are able to consider ourselves to be apart of this wonderful family.  It all begins with our own baptism: maybe as an infant, a small child, maybe as an adult who came in a little later.  It doesn’t matter at all when we came in to this family, so long as we did.  We wouldn’t have known to enter in to this wonderful family if we were not first lead by Christ.  He led us by example by being baptized first.  Let us celebrate this great feast in which we were led to our family in Heaven.

Epiphany Sunday

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/010415.cfm

          We know the story of the Epiphany and the Three Wise Men so well we could probably all tell the entire story in our sleep.  Magi from eastern lands come to Jerusalem, in search of the newborn King of the Jews.  They have been following a star, which eventually leads them to Bethlehem, where they find the Christ-Child.  They present Him with expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Meanwhile, a troubled and very paranoid King Herod plots what he will do to the infant-king once the magi inform him of his whereabouts.  Thankfully, the plan is foiled by a dream that warns the travelers to go back by another route. 

          I'm sure that there are many elements of this story that we can all pinpoint as being particularly memorable for us.  It could be the long journey that they take from the East, or perhaps it is that wondrous star that sticks in your mind.  Sometimes when I read this story, my thoughts turn to Herod and why he was so troubled by a helpless baby.  I am also thankful for God's providence in protecting the wise men and the Holy Family by leading them away from the king's wrath.   I think for a lot of people, the focus is on the gifts.  There is plenty of awe and admiration at the lavishness of the gifts that are brought, and also questions as to the practicality of the such gifts for a newborn and the ever popular question: what on earth is myrrh anyway?  If you really want to know the answer to that last question you can ask me later or “Google” it on your own.  However, we would be remiss if our entire focus of the feast was only on the gifts or on the star or on the little details of what the different characters said and did.  The real focus is on how all men and women from every land and culture are called to give of themselves and worship our Lord and King.  It doesn't matter where we come from or what we bring with us, so long as we give ourselves over to God.

          There was short story written in 1905 that I hope will help illustrate this.  The story is by O. Henry and is called “The Gift of the Magi”.  I'm sure most of you have heard the story at one time or another, but allow me to summarize.  The story is about James Young and his wife Della.  They live in a modestly furnished apartment and are just barely able to get by on the $20 per week that Jim makes at work.  Despite their modest surroundings, the young couple had two possessions which were of great value to them.  One is Jim's gold watch, which had been passed down from his grandfather, to his father, and then to him.  King Solomon himself with all his treasure would have been envious of such a watch.  The second is Della's hair, beautiful brown locks that fall past her knees.  Any queens jewels would have paled in comparison to such hair.

          It is Christmas Eve, and Della is very distraught.  After scrimping and saving for months she has only $1.87 with which to by her Jim a Christmas present.  After staring at her reflection in a narrow mirror for a moment, she gets an idea and runs out the door with her old coat and hat.  She goes down to a beauty shop, sells her hair for $20 and then searches the shops for the perfect gift.  She finally finds a gold chain that looks to have made just for Jim and his gold watch. 

          Worried of what Jim will think of her haircut, Della hurries home and begins preparing Jim's dinner.  She waits for him at the door to the apartment.  He enters, and then stares at her, but she can't read his expression.  She worries he doesn't approve, and quickly explains that she sold it to pay for his present and reassures him her hair will grow back quickly.  “You cut your hair?” he asks, as if it were hard to comprehend.  She keeps assuring him, saying she did it for love of him and to please say he still loves her.  He finally embraces her and tosses a small package on the table.  He tells her no haircut would ever make him love her less, but asks her to opens the package.  Inside are a set of jeweled combs that she had been admiring in a shop window.  Her joy and surprise quickly turn to sadness as she realizes what has happened.  But then she smiles as she knows her hair will grow back eventually.  Then with excitement, she leaps up and gives Jim his present.  She begs him to take out his watch so she can see how it looks with the chain.  But he simply lays back on the couch and smiles.  “I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs”. 

          O. Henry gives a short moral to the story.  “The magi, as you know, were wise men – wonderfully wise men – who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger.  They invented the art of giving Christmas presents.  Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication.  And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house.  But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.  Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest.  Everywhere they are the wisest.  They are the magi”.

          The magi of the Scriptures came from the east bringing gifts.  The prophet Isaiah describes in the First Reading how people from many different nations will come, also bringing wondrous gifts.  As O. Henry points out, the gifts of the wise men were no doubt very wise, especially in comparison to how Jim and Della foolishly gave away their only treasures.  However, as I said before: we are missing the point if we think it is only about the gifts.  Jim and Della nobly sacrificed their most prized possessions so that the other could have the perfect Christmas gift.  The magi, as well as the visitors described by Isaiah, also sacrificed many comforts as well as time and money and also faced many dangers in order to make the long journey.  They are not just bringing gifts, but also worshiping God and the newborn Christ-child.  Jim, Della, the magi, and all the visitors sacrificed by giving of themselves in their special gifts.  That is why they are all called “The magi”.  That is why we are called to be magi as well.