The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Reading 1 Is 42:1-4, 6-7

Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

R/ (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Reading 2 Acts 10:34-38

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”

Alleluia Mk 9:7

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

1 posted on 01/11/2020 9:37:41 PM PST by Salvation

KEYWORDS: baptism; catholic; christmas; mt3; prayer;

2 posted on 01/11/2020 9:38:39 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

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3 posted on 01/11/2020 9:40:07 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

From: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

First Song of the Servant of the Lord

(Thus says the Lord,) [1] “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in
whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth jus-
tice to the nations. [2] He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the
street; [3] a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not
quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. [4] He will not fail or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

[6] “I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the
hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the
nations, [7] to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the
dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”

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Commentary:

42:1-9. The Lord, who revealed his power by creating the world (40:12-31) and
showed his determination to save mankind by his intervention in history (4l:1-29),
now announces a new stage in his plans (v. 9). To advance them he will give a
special mission to the “servant of the Lord”; in the prophetic text, this personage
plays the key role in making known and putting into effect the salvific plans of
God. Four passages over the course of chapters 42-55 speak of the servant and
his mission; these passages may originally have made up a poem of their own.
These oracles are usually called the “Songs of the Servant”. Most biblical scho-
lars see 42:1-9 as being the first song or, rather, the first stanza of that poem.
The other three passages are: 49:1-6; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12. They combine
to make a very beautiful poem, but they raise difficult questions as to style and
content. They have been the subject of a great deal of commentary, and the
identity of the “servant” is still a matter of debate. Those who consider the four
passages to be parts of the one poem take it that the “servant” in each is one
and the same person and has one and the same mission. Scholars who do not
regard the four passages as originally part of a single poem interpret the person
and mission of the servant as being different in each.

There are basically three theories as to who the servant is. One theory is that he
is a particular individual — a king of the house of Judah, or the prophet himself or,
Of course, a future Messiah, who will redeem Israel The second theory is that the
servant is a collectivity he stands for Israel, or for some group within Israel. The
third theory argues that the servant is meant to be depicted ambiguously — that is
in a way that allows him to be interpreted in both of the ways mentioned previous-
ly — as a person of significance but someone who can symbolize all Israel.

In this first song (vv 1-9) the servant certainly comes across as a figure of mystery:
v. 1 gives him very special universal transcendental attributes, Verses 2-3a show
his humility but they are followed immediately by verses saying that he is some-
one able to “establish justice in the earth”, to be “a light to the nations’ someone
who can “bring light to the nations” and “open the eyes that are blind and set cap-
tives free...”. The “servant” can do all this because the Lord has “put his Spirit on
him” (cf. v. 1), that is, he is someone chosen by God and he has the help of the
Spirit of the Lord to carry out his mission to teach his Law to the very ends of the
earth. So, these words could be describing the prophet’s own conviction that he
has a mission to perform — to proclaim the word of God; a mission that he did not
seek but, rather, had given to him. But the servant could also stand for the whole
people of Israel (cf. 41:8) — for in the same way were the people chosen by God
to bear witness to him before all mankind concerning the Law they had received
from the Lord.

The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles without attempting to discover exact-
ly who this servant was originally (or whom he was meant to stand for) interpre-
ted the main features of the servant as being a prophecy about Jesus, in whom
the Father is most pleased, and who, in the unity of the Holy Spirit is truly the
light for all nations and the liberation of all the oppressed. For example, in the
accounts of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan and of the Transfiguration, the
voice of the Father refers to those features: This is my beloved Son with whom
I am well pleased (Mt 3:17); “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” (Lk
9:35). The Gospel of Matthew, which makes a point of showing that the Scrip-
tures find fulfillment in Jesus, explicitly quotes vv. 2-4 of this oracle of Isaiah to
show that in Jesus is fulfilled the prophecy of the servant, who was rejected by
the leaders of the people and whose quiet and kindly teaching would bring the
light of truth to the world (Mt 12:15-21). And later in his Gospel, when St Mat-
thew recounts the passion and death of our Lord (cf. Mt 27:30), he again makes
the link between Christ and the servant.

The expression “light to the nations” (v. 6) seems to find an echo in what Jesus
says about his being the light of the world (Jn 8:12; 9:5) and also in the “Bene-
dictus” of Zechariah (Lk 1:78-79). There is an evocation of v. 7 in Jesus’ reply to
the messengers from John the Baptist who ask him whether he is he who is to
come (cf. Mt 11:4-6: Lk 7:18-22); cf. the note on 29:15-24. And so St Justin will
say, commenting on vv. 6-7: “Everything that is said here, my friends, refers to
Christ and to the peoples who have been enlightened by his presence” (Dialo-
gus Cum Tryphone”, 122, 2).

The Church in the Second Vatican Council acknowledges her duty to strive to
use every opportunity to show that Christ is truly, the “light of the nations” (v. 6):
“Christ is the Light of nations. Because this is so, this Sacred Synod gathered
together in the Holy Spirit eagerly desires by proclaiming the Gospel to every
creature, to bring the light of Christ to all men a light brightly visible on the
countenance of the Church (”Lumen Gentium”, 1).

*********************************************************************************************
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)

For: Sunday, January 12, 2014

Feast: Baptism of the Lord

From: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

First Song of the Servant of the Lord

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

4 posted on 01/11/2020 9:40:58 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

From: Acts 10:34-38

Peter’s Address

[34] And Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I perceive that God shows no
partiality, [35] but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right
is acceptable to him. [36] You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching
good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), [37] the word which was
proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which
John preached: [38] how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit
and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were op-
pressed by the devil, for God was with him.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

34-43. Peter’s short address is his first to non-Jews. It begins with the central
idea that God is impartial: he wants all men to be saved through the proclama-
tion of the Gospel (vv. 34-36). This is followed by a summary of Jesus’ public
life (vv. 37-41) and, finally, the statement (the first time it appears in Acts) that
Jesus Christ has been made Judge of the living and the dead (v. 42). As in all
Christian preaching to Gentiles, proofs from Scripture take a secondary place
(v. 43).

34. This verse refers to 1 Samuel 16:7, where the Lord, in connection with the
anointing of David as king of Israel, tells the prophet, “Do not look on his appea-
rance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord
sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord
looks on the heart.” When God calls and offers salvation to his elect, he does
not judge as men do. With him distinctions regarding social class, race, sex
or education do not count.

Here St Peter proclaims that the Old Testament prophecies about the Jews
and the Gentiles forming one single nation (Is 2:2-4; Joel 2:28; Amos 9:12;
Mich 4:1 ) and Jesus’ words calling everyone to enter his Kingdom (cf. Mt 8:11;
Mk 16:15-16; Jn 10:16) should be interpreted literally.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

5 posted on 01/11/2020 9:42:16 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

From: Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus is Baptized

[13] Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.
[14] John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and
do you come to me?” [15] But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus
it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. [16] And when
Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the
heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
alighting on him; [17] and lo, a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved
Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

13. Jesus spent about thirty years (Lk 3:23) in what is normally called his “hid-
den life”. We should marvel at the silence of the Incarnate Word of God during
this period. There may be many reasons why he waited so long before beginning
his public ministry, but one factor may have been the Jewish custom whereby
rabbis did not carry out their function as teachers until they were thirty years
old. Whatever the reason, by his long years of work beside St Joseph, our Lord
teaches all Christians the sanctifying value of ordinary life and work. The Baptist
prepares the people to receive the Messiah, according to God’s plan; and it is
only then that Jesus commences his public life.

14. St John’s reluctance to baptize Jesus is not surprising since he had given
such forthright witness to Him. Jesus did not need to be baptized by John since
he had no sin, but he chose to receive this baptism (see the note on v. 15) be-
fore beginning to preach, so to teach us to obey all God’s commands (he had
already subjected himself to circumcision, presentation in the temple and being
redeemed as the first-born). God wished Jesus to humble himself even to the ex-
tent of submitting to the authority of others.

15. “Righteousness” (or “justice”) has a very deep meaning in the Bible; it refers
to the plan which God, in his infinite goodness and wisdom, has marked out for
man’s salvation. Consequently, “to fulfill all righteousness” should be, understood
as fulfilling God’s will and designs. Thus, we could translate “fulfill all righteous-
ness” as: “fulfill everything laid down by God.” Jesus comes to receive John’s
baptism and hence recognizes it as a stage in salvation history — a stage fore-
seen by God as a final and immediate preparation for the messianic era. The ful-
fillment of anyone of these stages can be called an act of righteousness. Jesus,
who has come to fulfill his Father’s Will (Jn4:34), is careful to fulfill that saving
plan in all its aspects. See the note on Mt 5:6.

16. Jesus possessed the fullness of the Holy Spirit from the moment of his con-
ception. This is due to the union of human nature and divine nature in the person
of the Word (the dogma of the hypostatic union). Catholic teaching says that in
Christ there is only one person (who is divine) but two natures (divine and human).

The descent of the Spirit of God spoken of in the text indicates that just as Je-
sus was solemnly commencing his messianic task, so the Holy Spirit was be-
ginning his action through him. There are very many texts in the Old Testament
which speak of the showing forth of the Holy Spirit in the future Messiah. This
sign of the Spirit gave St John the Baptist unmistakable proof of the genuineness
of his testimony concerning Christ (cf. Jn 1:29-34). The mystery of the Holy Trinity
is revealed in the baptism of Jesus: the Son is baptized; the Holy Spirit descends
on him in the form of a dove; and the voice of the Father gives testimony about his
Son. Christians must be baptized in the name of the three divine persons. “If you
have sincere piety, the Holy Spirit will descend on you also and you will hear the
voice of the Father saying to you from above: ‘This was not my son, but now afte
Baptism he has been made my son”’ (St Cyril of Jerusalem, “De Baptismo”, 14).

17. Literally, as the RSV points out, “This is my Son, my (or the) beloved”.
When the expression “the beloved” goes with “the son”, normally it refers to an
only son (cf. Gen 16; Jer 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zech 12:10). Repetition of the article
and the solemnity of the passage show that, in the language of the Bible, Jesus
is not just one more among the adopted sons of God, nor even the greatest of
them. Rather, it declares strongly and correctly that Jesus is “the Son of God”,
the Only-begotten who is totally different from other men because of his divine
nature (cf. Mt 7:21; 11:27; 17:5; Jn 3:35; 5:20; 20:17; etc.).

Here we can see the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies, especially Isaiah 42:
1, which is applied now to Jesus through the voice of the Father speaking from
heaven.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

6 posted on 01/11/2020 9:43:45 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

First reading
Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7 ©

Here is my servant, in whom my soul delights

Thus says the Lord:

Here is my servant whom I uphold,

my chosen one in whom my soul delights.

I have endowed him with my spirit

that he may bring true justice to the nations.

He does not cry out or shout aloud,

or make his voice heard in the streets.

He does not break the crushed reed,

nor quench the wavering flame.

Faithfully he brings true justice;

he will neither waver, nor be crushed

until true justice is established on earth,

for the islands are awaiting his law.

I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right;

I have taken you by the hand and formed you;

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.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 28(29):1-4,9-10 ©

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

O give the Lord, you sons of God,

give the Lord glory and power;

give the Lord the glory of his name.

Adore the Lord in his holy court.

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The Lord’s voice resounding on the waters,

the Lord on the immensity of waters;

the voice of the Lord, full of power,

the voice of the Lord, full of splendour.

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The God of glory thunders.

In his temple they all cry: ‘Glory!’

The Lord sat enthroned over the flood;

the Lord sits as king for ever.

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Second reading	Acts 10:34-38 ©

God had anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit

Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘The truth I have now come to realise’ he said ‘is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.

‘It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ – but Jesus Christ is Lord of all men. You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.’

Gospel Acclamation	cf.Mk9:8

Alleluia, alleluia!

The heavens opened and the Father’s voice resounded:

‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’

Alleluia!

Gospel	Matthew 3:13-17 ©

'This is my Son, the Beloved'

Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him. ‘It is I who need baptism from you’ he said ‘and yet you come to me!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.’ At this, John gave in to him.

As soon as Jesus was baptised he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’

7 posted on 01/11/2020 9:47:35 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 3
13.	Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him.	Tunc venit Jesus a Galilæa in Jordanem ad Joannem, ut baptizaretur ab eo.	τοτε παραγινεται ο ιησους απο της γαλιλαιας επι τον ιορδανην προς τον ιωαννην του βαπτισθηναι υπ αυτου
14.	But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?	Joannes autem prohibebat eum, dicens : Ego a te debeo baptizari, et tu venis ad me ?	ο δε ιωαννης διεκωλυεν αυτον λεγων εγω χρειαν εχω υπο σου βαπτισθηναι και συ ερχη προς με
15.	And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered him.	Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Sine modo : sic enim decet nos implere omnem justitiam. Tunc dimisit eum.	αποκριθεις δε ο ιησους ειπεν προς αυτον αφες αρτι ουτως γαρ πρεπον εστιν ημιν πληρωσαι πασαν δικαιοσυνην τοτε αφιησιν αυτον
16.	And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him.	Baptizatus autem Jesus, confestim ascendit de aqua, et ecce aperti sunt ei cæli : et vidit Spiritum Dei descendentem sicut columbam, et venientem super se.	και βαπτισθεις ο ιησους ανεβη ευθυς απο του υδατος και ιδου ανεωχθησαν αυτω οι ουρανοι και ειδεν το πνευμα του θεου καταβαινον ωσει περιστεραν και ερχομενον επ αυτον
17.	And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.	Et ecce vox de cælis dicens : Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi complacui.	και ιδου φωνη εκ των ουρανων λεγουσα ουτος εστιν ο υιος μου ο αγαπητος εν ω ευδοκησα

8 posted on 01/12/2020 9:07:48 AM PST by annalex (fear them not)

13. Then comes Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized of him.
14. But John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of You, and You come to me?
15. And Jesus answering said to him, Suffer it to he so now, for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered Him.

GLOSS. Christ having been proclaimed to the world by time preaching of His forerunner, now after long obscurity will manifest Himself to men.

REMIG. In this verse is contained person, place, time, and office. Time, in the word, Then.

RABAN. That is, when He was thirty years old, showing that none should be ordained priest, or even to preach till He be of full age. Joseph at thirty years was made governor of Egypt; David began to reign, and Ezekiel his prophesying at the same age.

CHRYS. Because after His baptism Christ was to put an end to the Law, tie therefore came to be baptized at this age, that having so kept the Law, it might not be said that He canceled it, because He could not observe it.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Then, that is when John preached, that He might confirm his preaching, and Himself receive his witness. But as when the morning-star has risen, the sun does not wait for that star to set, but rising as it goes forward, gradually obscures its brightness, so Christ waited not for John to finish his course, but appeared while he yet taught.

REMIG. The Persons are described in the words, came Jesus to John; that is, God to man, the Lord to His servant, the King to His soldier, the Light to the lamp. The Place, from Galilee to Jordan. Galilee means 'transmigration.' Whoso then will be baptized, must pass from vice to virtue, and humble himself in coming to baptism, for Jordan means 'descent.'

AMBROSE; Scripture tells of many wonders wrought at various times in this river; as that, among others, in the Psalms, Jordan was driven backwards (Psalms 114:3); before the water was driven back, now sins are turned back in its current; as Elijah divided the waters of old, so Christ the Lord wrought in the same Jordan the separation of sin.

REMIG. The office to be performed: that He might be baptized of him; not baptism to the remission of sins, but to leave the water sanctified for those after to be baptized.

AUG. The Savior willed to be baptized not that He might Himself be cleansed, but to cleanse the water for us. From the time that Himself was dipped in time water, from that time has He washed away all our sins in water. And let none wonder that water, itself corporeal substance, is said to be effectual to the purification of the soul; it is so effectual, reaching to and searching out the hidden recesses of the conscience. Subtle and penetrating in its own nature, made yet more so by Christ's blessing, it touches the hidden springs of life, the secret places of the soul, by virtue of its all-pervading dew. The course of blessing is even yet more penetrating than the flow of waters. Thus the blessing which like a spiritual river flows on from the Savior's baptism, has filled the basins of all pools, and the courses of all fountains.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He comes to baptism, that He who has taken upon Him human nature, may be found to have fulfilled the whole mystery of that nature; not that He is Himself a sinner, but He has taken on Himself a nature that is sinful. And therefore though He needed not baptism Himself, yet the carnal nature in others needed it.

AMBROSE; Also like a wise master inculcating His doctrines as much by His own practice as by word of mouth, He did that which He commanded all His disciples to do.

AUG. He deigned to be baptized of John that the servants might see with what readiness they ought to run to the baptism of the Lord, when He did not refuse to be baptized of His servant.

JEROME; Also that by being Himself baptized, He might sanction the baptism of John.

CHRYS. But since John's baptism was to repentance, and therefore showed the presence of sin, that none might suppose Christ's coming to the Jordan to have been on this account, John cried to Him, I have need to be baptized of You, and come You to me? As if he had said,

PSEUDO-CHRYS. That You should baptize me there is good cause, that I may be made righteous and worthy of heaven; but that I should baptize You, what cause is there? Every good gift comes down from heaven upon earth, not ascends from earth to heaven.

HILARY; John rejects Him from baptism as God; He teaches him, that it ought to be performed on Him as man.

JEROME; Beautifully said is that now, to show that as Christ was baptized with water by John, so John must be baptized by Christ with the Spirit. Or, suffer now that I who have taken the form of a servant should fulfill all that low estate; otherwise know that in the day of judgment you must be baptized with my baptism. Or, the Lord says, 'Suffer this now; I have also another baptism wherewithal I must be baptized; you baptize Me with water, that I may baptize you for Me with my own blood.'

PSEUDO-CHRYS. In this he shows that Christ after this baptized John, which is expressly told in some apocryphal books . Suffer now that I fulfill the righteousness of baptism in deed, and not only in word; first submitting to it, and then preaching it; for so it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. Not that by being baptized He fulfills all righteousness, but so, in time same manner, that is, as He first fulfilled the righteousness of baptism by His deeds, and after preached it, so He might all other righteousness, according to that of the Acts, All things that Jesus began both to do and to teach. Or thus, all righteousness, according to the ordinance of human nature; as He had before fulfilled the righteousness of birth, growth, and the like.

HILARY; For by Him must all righteousness have been fulfilled, by whom alone the Law could be fulfilled.

JEROME. Righteousness; but he adds neither 'of the Law,' nor 'of nature,' that we may understand it of both.

REMIG. Or thus, it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness, that is, to give an example of perfect justification in baptism, without which the gate of the kingdom of heaven is not opened. Hence let the proud take an example of humility, and not scorn to be baptized by My humble members when they see Me baptized by John My servant. That is true humility which obedience accompanies; as it continues, then he suffered Him, that is, at last consented to baptize Him.

16. And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him.

AMBROSE;For, as we have said, when the Savior was washed, then the water was cleansed for our baptism, that a laver might be ministered to time people who were to come. Moreover, it is necessary that in Christ's baptism should be signified those things which the faithful obtain by baptism.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. This action of Christ's has a figurative meaning pertaining to all who were after Him to be baptized; and therefore he says, straightway He ascended, and not simply He ascended, for all who are worthily baptized in Christ, straightway ascend from the water; that is, make progress in virtues, and are carried on towards a heavenly dignity. They who had gone down to the water carnal and sinful sons of Adam, straightway ascend from the water spiritual sons of God. But if some by their own faults make no progress after baptism, what is that to the baptism?

RABANUS;As by the immersion of His body He dedicated the laver of baptism, He has shown that to us also after baptism received the entrance to heaven is open, and the Holy Spirit is given, as it follows, and the heavens were opened.

JEROME. Not by an actual cleaving of the visible element, but to the spiritual eye, as Ezekiel also in the beginning of his book relates that he saw them.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. For had the actual creation of the heavens been opened, he would not have said were opened to Him, for a physical opening would have been open to all. But some one will say, What, are the heavens then closed to the eye of the Son of God, who even when on earth is present in heaven? But it must be known, that as He was baptized according to the ordinance of humanity that He had taken on Him, so the heavens were opened to His sight as to His human nature, though as to His divine He was in heaven.

REMIG. But was this then the first time that the heavens were opened to Him according to His human nature? The faith of the Church both believes and holds that the heavens were no less open to Him before than after. It is therefore said here, that the heavens were opened because to all them who are born again the door of the kingdom of heaven is opened.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Perhaps there were before some unseen obstacles which hindered the souls of the dead from entering the skies. I suppose that since Adam's sin no soul had mounted the skies, but the heavens were continually closed. When, lo, on Christ's baptism they were again opened; after He had overcome by the Cross the great tyrant death, henceforward the heaven, never more to be closed, needed not gates, so that the Angels say not, 'Open the gates,' for they were open, but take away the gates. Or the heavens are opened to the baptized, and they see those things which are in heaven, not by seeing them with the bodily eye, but by believing with the spiritual eye of faith. Or thus; The heavens are the divine Scriptures, which all read but all do not understand, except they who have been so baptized as to receive the Holy Spirit. Thus the Scriptures of the Prophets were at the first sealed to the Apostles, but after they had received the Holy Spirit, all Scripture was opened to them. However, in whatever way we interpret, the heavens were opened to Him, that is to all, on His account; as if the Emperor were to say to anyone preferring a petition for another, This favor I grant not to him but to you; that is, to him, for your sake.

GLOSS. Or, so bright a glory shone round about Christ, that the blue concave seemed to he actually cloven.

CHRYS. But though you see it not, be not therefore unbelieving, for in the beginnings of spiritual matters sensible visions are always offered, for their sakes who can form no idea of things that have no body; which if they occur not in later times, yet faith may be established by those wonders once wrought.

REMIG. As to all those who by baptism are born again, the door of the kingdom of heaven is opened, so all in baptism receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

AUG. Christ after He had been once born among men, is born a second time in the sacraments, that as we adore Him then born of a pure mother, so we may now receive Him immersed in pure water. His mother brought forth her Son, and is yet virgin; the wave washed Christ, and is holy. Lastly, that Holy Spirit which was present to Him in the womb, now shone round Him in the water, He who then made Mary pure, now sanctifies the waters.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The Holy Ghost took the likeness of a dove, as being more than other animals susceptible of love. All other forms of righteousness which the servants of God have in truth and verity, the servants of the Devil have in spurious imitation; the love of the Holy Spirit alone an unclean spirit cannot imitate. And the Holy Ghost has therefore reserved to Himself this special manifestation of love, because by no testimony is it so clearly seen where He dwells as by the grace of love.

RABAN. Seven excellencies in the baptized are figured by the dove. The dove has her abode near the rivers, that when the hawk is seen, she may dive under water and escape; she chooses the better grains of corn; she feeds the young of other birds; she does not tear with her beak; she lacks a gall; she has her rest in the caverns of the rocks; for her song she has a plaint. Thus the saints dwell beside the streams of Divine Scripture, that they may escape the assaults of the Devil; they choose wholesome doctrine, and not heretical for their food; they nourish by teaching and example, men who have been the children of the Devil, i. e the imitators; they do not pervert good doctrine by tearing it to pieces as the heretics do; they are without hate irreconcilable; they build their nest in the wounds of Christ's death, which is to them a firm rock, that is their refuge and hope; as others delight in song, so do they in groaning for their sin.

CHRYS. It is moreover an allusion to ancient history; for in the deluge this creature appeared bearing an olive-branch, and tidings of rest to the world. All which things were a type of things to come. For now also a dove appears pointing out to us our liberator, and for an olive-branch bringing the adoption of the human race.

AUG. It is easy to understand how the Holy Ghost should be said to be sent, when as it were a dove in visible shape descended on the Lord; that is, there was created a certain appearance for the time in which the Holy Spirit might be visibly shown. And this operation thus made visible and offered to mortal view, is called the mission of the Holy Spirit, not that His invisible substance was seen, but that the hearts of men might be roused by the external appearance to contemplate the unseen eternity. Yet this creature in the shape of which the Spirit appeared, was not taken into unity of person, as was that human shape taken of the Virgin. For neither did the Spirit bless the dove, nor unite it with Himself for all eternity, in unity of person. Further, though that dove is called the Spirit, so far as to show that in this dove was a manifestation of the Spirit, yet can we not say of the Holy Spirit that He is God and dove, as we say, of the Son that He is God and man; and yet it is not as we say of the Son that He is the Lamb of God, as not only has John Baptist declared, but as John the Evangelist saw the vision of the Lamb slain in the Apocalypse. For this was a prophetic vision, not put before the bodily eyes in bodily shape, but seen in the Spirit in spiritual images. But concerning this dove none ever doubted that it was seen with the bodily eye; not that we say the Spirit is a dove as we say Christ is a rock; (for that Rock was Christ.) For that Rock already existed as a creature, and from the resemblance of its operation was called by the name of Christ, (whom it figured;) not so this dove, which was created at the moment for this single purpose. It seems to me to be more like the flame which appeared to Moses in the bush, or that which the people followed in the wilderness, or to the thunderings and lightings which were when the Law was given from the mount. For all these were visible objects intended to signify something, and then to pass away. For that such forms have been from time to time seen, the Holy Spirit is said to have been sent; but these bodily forms appeared for the time to show what was required, and then ceased to be.

JEROME; It sat on the head of Jesus, that none might suppose the voice of the Father spoken to John, and not to the Lord.

17. And lo a voice from heaven, Saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

AUG. Not as before by Moses and the Prophets, neither in type or figure did the Father teach that the Son should come, but openly showed Him to be already come, This is my Son.

HILARY; Or, that from these things thus fulfilled upon Christ, we might learn that after the washing of water the Holy Spirit also descends on us from the heavenly gates, on us also is shed an unction of heavenly glory, and an adoption to be the sons of God, pronounced by the Father's voice.

JEROME; The mystery of the Trinity is shown in this baptism. The Lord is baptized; the Spirit descends in shape of a dove; the voice of the Father is heard giving testimony to the Son.

AMBROSE; Amid no wonder that the mystery of the Trinity is not wanting to the Lord's laver when even our laver contains the sacrament of the Trinity. The Lord willed to show in His own case what He was after to ordain for men.

PSEUDO-AUG. Though Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one nature, yet do you hold most firmly that They be Three Persons; that it is the Father alone who said, This is my beloved Son; the Son alone over whom that voice of the Father was heard; and the Holy Ghost alone who in the likeness of a clove descended on Christ at His baptism.

AUG. Here are deeds of the whole Trinity. In their own substance indeed Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One without interval of either place or time; but in my mouth they are three separate words, and cannot be pronounced at the same time, and in written letters they fill each their several places. By this comparison maybe understood how the Trinity in Itself indivisible may be manifested dividedly in the likeness of a visible creation. That the voice is that of the Father only is manifest from the words This is my Son.

HILARY; He witnesses that He is His Son not in name merely, but in very kindred. Sons of God are we many of us; but not as He is a Son, a proper and true Son, in verity, not in estimation, by birth, not adoption.

AUG. The Father loves the Son, but as a father should, not as a master may love a servant; and that as an own Son, not an adopted; therefore He adds, in whom I am well-pleased.

REMIG. Or if it be referred to the human nature of Christ, the sense is, I am pleased in Him, whom alone I have found without sin. Or according to another reading, It has pleased me to appoint Him, by whom to perform those things I would perform, i.e. the redemption of the human race.

AUG. These words Mark and Luke give in the same way; in the words of the voice that came from Heaven, their expression varies though the sense is the same. For both the words as Matthew gives them, This is my beloved son, and as the other two, You are my beloved Son, express the same sense in the speaker; (and the heavenly voice, no doubt, uttered one of these,) but One shows an intention of addressing the testimony thus born to the Son to those who stood by; the other of addressing it to Himself, as if speaking to Christ he had said, This is my Son. Not that Christ was taught what He knew before, but they who stood by heard it, for whose sake the voice came. Again, when one says, in whom I am well-pleased; another, in you it has pleased me, if you ask which of these was actually pronounced by that voice; take which you will, only remembering that those who have not related the same words as were spoken have related the same sense. That God is well-pleased with His Son is signified in the first; that the Father is by the Son pleased with men is conveyed in the second form, in you it has well-pleased me. Or you may understand this to have been the one meaning of all the Evangelists, In you have I put My good pleasure, i.e. to fulfill all My purpose.

Catena Aurea Matthew 3

9 posted on 01/12/2020 9:08:19 AM PST by annalex (fear them not)

The Baptism of Christ

Russian icon

1780

The Russian Icon Museum, Clinton, Massachusetts

10 posted on 01/12/2020 9:11:22 AM PST by annalex (fear them not)

Pray for Pope Francis.

11 posted on 01/12/2020 1:10:47 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

12 posted on 01/12/2020 1:11:17 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

13 posted on 01/12/2020 7:13:54 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

14 posted on 01/12/2020 7:22:33 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

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January 12 2020

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Reading 1 Is 42:1-4, 6-7

Responsorial Psalm Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

Reading 2 Acts 10:34-38

Alleluia Mk 9:7

Gospel Mt 3:13-17

Readings at Mass

Here is my servant, in whom my soul delights

God had anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit

'This is my Son, the Beloved'