Gospel of Matthew, chapter 3:17

Today’s scripture speaks about the special favor bestowed by God the Father on His son, Jesus. John the Baptist was reluctant to baptize Jesus, the favored son of God, but Jesus accepted John’s baptism so he could identify with us. He did not need to be baptized since he was without sin. After His baptism in the river Jordan, the voice of the Father was heard to say: “this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The Gospel clearly addresses this favoring of Jesus as a way for us to appreciate His mission. Jesus is the “favored” one on whom God’s spirit rests; He is the servant who will save us by becoming the new covenant for all God’s people. But, He will not live isolated from ordinary humanity; He will live in the midst of us, suffering like us, laughing like us, and ultimately raising us up.

We are privileged to call ourselves Christians; people baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus, the one on whom the “favor” of God rests. What a wonderful birthright is ours, the birthright of Jesus Himself? How shall we meet this challenge? By doing what Jesus did. By imitating the life of our brother and Lord who identifies with us in all things but sin. This is the great blessing of the incarnation; that Jesus walked among us as one of us so that we could walk with Him.

Each of us has been favored by God. This “favor” is ours to keep and to cherish. It is also ours to use responsibly. God does not demand – or better, force – us to utilize our gifts. Rather, it is up to us to decide how we will live out our choosiness. As infants, at baptism, our parents were given a lighted candle as a sign of our favored status as children of the light. At the same time, we were also given a task, a commission to walk always as children of the light. As adults, it is time to decide if we will reflect the light of Christ in all we do.

God’s favor will not be taken away from us. Once given, it is up to us to let it shine. 

Fr. Hugh Duffy

 

* * * Don’t miss tomorrow’s blog on Presence of God * * *