Sunday, 13 January 2013
The Baptism of the Lord - Feast
St Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (c. 315- c. 367), St. Veronica of Binasco, Religious (144-1497)
Commentary of the day
Saint John Chrysostom : "The holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove"
Reading
Lk 3:15-16.21-22.
The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.
After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened
and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
Homilies on Saint Matthew's Gospel, no.12 ; PG 57, 201
"The holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove"
Let us consider the great miracle that took place following the Savior's
baptism; it is prelude to what would shortly follow. Not the Paradise of
old but heaven itself opens: “After Jesus was baptized... behold, the
heavens were opened” (Mt 3,16). Why did heaven open when Jesus Christ was
baptized? To teach that the same thing invisibly happens at your own
baptism: at that moment God calls you to your homeland in heaven and
invites you to have nothing further in common with earth... If we do not
now see the same signs nevertheless we receive the same graces of which
these signs were the symbol.Then a dove was seen descending: it showed John
the Baptist and the Jews that Jesus was the Son of God. It would also teach
each one of us that the holy Spirit comes down on our soul at the moment of
baptism. It no longer comes in visible form because we no longer need it
to: faith is enough now...Why does the Holy Spirit appear in the form of a
dove? Because the dove is gentle and pure and the Holy Spirit is a spirit
of gentleness and peace. This dove also reminds us of an event we read
about in the Old Testament: when the earth was inundated by the flood and
the whole human race in danger of perishing, the dove appeared to announce
the end of the disaster; it carried an olive branch bearing the good news
of the restoration of peace in the world. Now all this was a prefiguration
of of what was to come... When all was lost, deliverance and renewal came
about. What formerly took place through the deluge of water now takes place
today as if by a deluge of grace and mercy... It is no longer only one man
that the dove calls to leave the ark to repopulate the earth; it draws all
men to heaven. Instead of an olive branch, it brings to all humankind the
dignity of adoption as children of God.
The Baptism of the Lord - Feast
St Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (c. 315- c. 367), St. Veronica of Binasco, Religious (144-1497)
Commentary of the day
Saint John Chrysostom : "The holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove"
Reading
Lk 3:15-16.21-22.
The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.
After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened
and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day
Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
Homilies on Saint Matthew's Gospel, no.12 ; PG 57, 201
"The holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove"
Let us consider the great miracle that took place following the Savior's
baptism; it is prelude to what would shortly follow. Not the Paradise of
old but heaven itself opens: “After Jesus was baptized... behold, the
heavens were opened” (Mt 3,16). Why did heaven open when Jesus Christ was
baptized? To teach that the same thing invisibly happens at your own
baptism: at that moment God calls you to your homeland in heaven and
invites you to have nothing further in common with earth... If we do not
now see the same signs nevertheless we receive the same graces of which
these signs were the symbol.Then a dove was seen descending: it showed John
the Baptist and the Jews that Jesus was the Son of God. It would also teach
each one of us that the holy Spirit comes down on our soul at the moment of
baptism. It no longer comes in visible form because we no longer need it
to: faith is enough now...Why does the Holy Spirit appear in the form of a
dove? Because the dove is gentle and pure and the Holy Spirit is a spirit
of gentleness and peace. This dove also reminds us of an event we read
about in the Old Testament: when the earth was inundated by the flood and
the whole human race in danger of perishing, the dove appeared to announce
the end of the disaster; it carried an olive branch bearing the good news
of the restoration of peace in the world. Now all this was a prefiguration
of of what was to come... When all was lost, deliverance and renewal came
about. What formerly took place through the deluge of water now takes place
today as if by a deluge of grace and mercy... It is no longer only one man
that the dove calls to leave the ark to repopulate the earth; it draws all
men to heaven. Instead of an olive branch, it brings to all humankind the
dignity of adoption as children of God.
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