The feast of the baptism of the Lord, which we celebrate this weekend, ends the Christmas season for 2020. At our baptism we were claimed by Christ as his dear children. As God’s dear children we are invited by God into an intimate relationship of love with him. There are two things we can do that will help us live our baptismal relationship with God. These two things are to listen and proclaim.
An important part of the baptismal rite is the Ephphatha Rite. In this part of the baptismal rite, we are asking God to open our mouths and our ears. “May the Lord Jesus, who made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak, grant that you may soon receive his word with your ears and profess that faith with your lips, to the glory and praise of God the father. Amen.” God wants us all to hear his word. He especially wants us to hear that Jesus Christ is my beloved son. Matthew, Mark, and Luke each end their gospel for the baptism of the Lord with the same words. “This is my beloved son.” God the father is making clear to us that Jesus his son is the one the father finds favor with. God the father chose his son as the one to continue the work God the Father began.
At our baptism we were claimed by Christ to be his own. By virtue of being baptized into the family of God, each one of us has been chosen as God’s sons and daughters. As we get ready to turn the Christmas lights off for another year, let us remember that we are God’s children now. As God’s dear children we are called to live the discipleship we have received. As his disciples we are called not only to listen to God’s word, but to proclaim it with our lips as well as in our lives of love. May God, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, help us all to live our baptismal call by being people of love who are not afraid to boldly proclaim the truth that God loves us all. May we hear with our ears how much God loves us. May we also proclaim that love by the love we show for each other. May we love so much that we will do whatever it takes to help each other gain the prize of everlasting life. May God, who has baptized you in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, bless you not just today, but each day of your life.
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