Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were
asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. 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."
* * *
Introductory Prayer: Almighty and eternal God, you are high
above us in the heavens, and yet you are so near to me. I know that you love me
infinitely. I rest in your love; I find my strength and hope in you alone.
Thank you for loving me despite my sinfulness and complete unworthiness. In
return, I offer you my whole self, along with my intense desire to put you
first in my life.
Petition: Jesus
meek and humble of heart, make my heart more like yours.
1. One
Mightier Than I Is Coming: John knows who he is not. Proper
self-knowledge is an essential step on the path to sanctity. John is attracting
the attention of the multitudes in Israel. Many people would be flattered or
even intoxicated with this notoriety. Yet John is not grasping for power, nor
does he seek to be someone he is not. He is preparing people’s hearts for the
true Christ. The Evil One will continually try to get us to look to ourselves
and our own talents in an attempt to distract our eyes from God and his plan
for us. John gives us a shining example of the triumph of humble self-knowledge
over the wiles of the devil. When we are totally oriented toward God, we give
rise to the desire to eliminate from our personal life any lie, vanity, and
inflated opinion of ourselves. We begin to live in the truth, giving all the
gifts God has granted us their real value. We use them for the service of his
Kingdom, without taking anything for ourselves, since everything is his.
2. I Am Not
Worthy to Loosen the Thongs of His Sandals: There is no holiness without humility.
Simply understood, humility means living in the truth. This humility is born of
a proper understanding of our relationship to God. It has nothing to do with a
lack of self-respect – Jesus was humble, yet with utter self-possession and
strength! Humility is the awareness that even our greatest talents come from
God and are meant for his glory. In the end though, even John’s humility will
pale in comparison to the humility that Jesus models for us in his life. “The
one who serves does not consider himself superior to the one served, however
miserable his situation at the moment may be. Christ took the lowest place in
the world — the cross — and by this radical humility he redeemed us and
constantly comes to our aid” (Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI, God Is Love, 35).
Once again we see that Jesus asks of us only what he himself has been willing
to embrace. He is the source of the strength I need to practice this humility
in my daily life.
3. Jesus
Was Also Baptized: By being baptized, Jesus associates
himself with sinful humanity. He has taken our flesh in the Incarnation. Now he
sets out on the path of taking our sins upon himself so that he might redeem us
from them. If it was a scandal for the Jewish people that God would become a
man, how much more scandalous was it that he would be baptized, a manifest sign
of repentance for sins? So great is God’s love for us that even this act is not
beneath him. It is one of many steps by which he will allow his love for us to
lead him even to the ignominy of the cross. Have I truly contemplated how
important I am to Jesus?
Conversation
with Christ:
Blessed Lord, you went to the extreme of the cross to prove your love for
me. You have borne my pride, and with your love and humility, you have proven
yourself stronger than my greatest sin. Give me the strength and courage to
follow you down the path of self-giving and humble service to those around me.
Free me from the shackles of pride.
Resolution: Today I will read
and reflect upon the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1262-1270.