A REFLECTION ON THE DAILY OFFICE READINGS
Have you ever wanted to meet God in person - face-to-face? Based on this Biblical passage, we can infer that such an experience might literally take our breath away. We are told that Moses brought the people to the foot of Mount Sinai in order to meet God. At that moment, God appeared to them in the midst of a thick cloud. The mountain was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. There was thunder, lightning, and a blast of trumpet so loud that all the people trembled. Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to the Lord to look; otherwise many of them will perish. Even the priests who approach the Lord must consecrate themselves or the Lord will break out against them." So Moses went down to the people and told them. If we were told to respect certain boundaries and limits, then how might that instruction make us feel? Would we understand or be upset? Why?
Paul became a servant of the gospel. What is the gospel? Simply put, the gospel is the story of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. In Jesus we have seen the fullness of God. In Jesus all things in heaven and on earth were created. Jesus existed before all things. Jesus is the head of the church. Jesus brought peace through the blood of his cross. Jesus loved us so much that he redeemed us through his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave. We identify with him in his death on a cross so that we might also identify with him in his resurrection from the grave. Therefore, we strive to present ourselves holy, blameless and irreproachable before Jesus. May we be inspired to proclaim the hope promised to all through the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the gospel in a nutshell.
In this passage, Jesus approaches John in order to be baptized by him. One would think that this should be the other way around. John even tried to prevent Jesus, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Has there ever been a time when you felt you had nothing to offer another person but someone still saw a purpose or gift in you. How would this story have turned out if John the Baptist refused to get out of his own way and let his insecurities keep him from baptizing Jesus? What would John have missed out on? Are there amazing moments in life that we miss out on because we doubt our own calling and fight God’s will for our life? Because John listened to Jesus and obeyed Christ’s instruction to baptize him, John was able to serve a crucial role in the ministry of Jesus Christ. We are told in this passage that after Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." John was front and center at this amazing unfolding of God’s glory all because he was willing to believe that he had something to offer just by being faithful in the moment.
To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.
Fr. Thomas+
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