The first Sunday of Ordinary Time signals the change from a contemplative stance towards the mysteries of our redemption to a more practical appropriation of the same mysteries. From this moment the Church concentrates on her covenantal life with God and considers the mysteries of Christ’s life and teachings under the aspect of “moral commitment”. How do I live the mystery just celebrated in my daily life? This is the question that we have as we move on to a new season of green-colored vestments. We leave behind the Lord’s infancy and relive the years of His adulthood. Like Him, the Church must press forward until she becomes Christ in full stature.
Relevant Articles
Sunday Thoughts: Baptism of the Lord 
Mark 1:7-11: The Baptism of the Lord
Guide for Reading
The text of Mark 1:7-11 is deceptively brief. In just a few words, the evangelist is saying a lot of things.
1. Make a sentence flow of the whole passage and try to see how the parts of the passage relate to the preceding verses. With what section does vv. 7-8 go: with the preceding, or with the following? How do you justify your answer?
2. Based on your sentence flow, which are the main verbs of vv. 7-11? Which are the subjects for those verbs?
3. How do you characterize verse 9? What is its role in the passage? What does it say about Jesus?
Digging into the Text
1. Get a map of first century Palestine (the maps in your bible translations are enough) and locate Nazareth. Where was John the Baptist working? How far is Nazareth from it? Among the bible characters that you know, who also hails from Nazareth?
2. Consult the article “at Biblista on “The Baptism of the Lord”” and look for the meanings of the following phrases/words:
- heavens (being torn open)
- dove
- voice
Consult a dictionary of the Bible (either McKenzie or Leon-Dufour) and see the entries under each word.
3. What does McKenzie or Leon-Dufour say about “the Servant of Yahweh”?
Comparing the Readings
There is a direct relationship between the first reading and the one from Mark 1:7-11. The phrase “the Beloved, in whom my pleasure rests” evokes the words by which Yahweh presents his Servant in Isaiah.
The reading from Acts 10:34-48 is a summary of the kerygmatic proclamation. It is presented here as Peter’s speech to Cornelius’ family. If you look closely at the speech, it practically gives us an outline of the work of Jesus beginning with the baptism at the Jordan, just as we find it in Mark’s gospel.
Both the first and second readings highlight the baptism of Jesus and the words of introduction from the voice of heaven. The event is important because it is at that precise moment when the man Jesus has an experience of who He is in the eyes of the Father.
Suggestions for the Lesson
During the Christmas liturgy, we contemplated on the mystery of God Incarnate. As we move into Ordinary Time, we find how God in Jesus enters into solidarity with sinful humanity. Mark gives us the portrait of Jesus joining the crowds who confess their sins and receive the baptism of forgiveness. But Mark does not end there: he also tells us how Jesus is seen by the Father. We have meditated on the infancy narratives throughout the Christmas season. We know that Jesus is the Son of God. Here, an aspect of Jesus is presented: “He is the One in whom the Father is pleased”. Given this premise, the following three ideas latent in Mark’s episode of Jesus’ baptism should become the key points of the first Sunday of Ordinary Time.
1. Jesus is the Servant-Son, not only the Obedient Son. In his brief life with us, Jesus will play out the role of ideal son to the point of becoming a slave in his obedience. St. Paul sings about it in Philippians 3:6-11. Jesus emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of man and was obedient even unto death.
2. Jesus idenfies himself with sinful humanity. He had no sin — Paul writes — but he became sin for us. Like the escape goat, he takes upon himself the sins of the people and carries it away, dying with it.
3. Jesus, the Son, shows us what it takes to be the Father’s children. By our baptism, we too have become children of God. By our membership in the Father’s household, we are empowered to be like Him through the sacraments, especially by sharing in His Body and Blood.
From Ordinary Time to Lent
Please be reminded that there will only be a few Sundays in Ordinary Time before the Lenten journey begins once more. As the Baptism of Jesus anticipates the sorrowful mysteries of Jesus’ life in Mark, so too the first Sunday of Ordinary Time is an anticipation of our baptism which will become the focus of our Lenten journey.
