Readings at USCCB.org | https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011126.cfm
The confirmation students from Collins, QV, and Ernest confirmation class share their reflections on the readings for the Baptism of the Lord.
We have always been taught the value and strength of kindness in everyday society, about how the smallest piece of goodwill can go a long way in changing someone's life for the better and causing them to spread kindness and justice elsewhere. And I think this first reading perfectly mirrors this; it describes how powerful gentleness and kindness are in how they can be used to bring justice to the world.
As stated in this reading, "…he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street" (5-7). This shows how God always promotes the doing and spreading of goodness and justice without the use of violence, showcasing one of the main principles that we have always been taught by our religion: to love others as you love yourself.
Plus, this spreading of gentleness also comes with the extended effect of justice, with the creation of empathy between everyone who creates kindness in the world. God has always preached the power of kindness and its ability to create justice throughout this world, but they extend this kindness to anyone willing to accept it.
For instance, near the end of this first reading, it describes the sending of a servant to open the eyes of the blind and free prisoners from their confinement.
This illustrates how God is accepting of anyone, willing to free prisoners from their confinement if they reform themselves to welcome and emit the kindness and justice that God is trying to spread throughout this world.
This also demonstrates God’s kindness, willing to care for the blind so they can feel the truth and justice that God is trying to spread through the use of servants.
God has created us with the ability to have freewill, so it is our duty to perform the tasks that they have given us and spread the truth and justice throughout the world.
Jesus came to John to be baptized by him but John refused as it was he who was to be baptized by Jesus. After John baptized Jesus the heavens opened and the spirit of God descended like a dove with a voice saying “this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased”. This teaches us to accept Jesus and not simply revere him as a higher being. It shows us that by doing acts of service towards others we open the heavens and allow ourselves to hear the voice of God.
This gospel matters to me as it shows how I generally accept Jesus and God into my life and let myself hear their voices. Like at school when I help a classmate with an assignment or at home when I play with my dogs or help a sibling with one of their inquiries. Every time I do an act of service it encourages me to do more services for other people.
The gospel connects to prayer as it shows the descending of God’s spirit and his voice reaching to us as it does in prayer. Maybe not immediately like in the gospel but in prayer the voice of God is actively reaching toward us and trying to get us to hear it, at least that’s what I believe. I will live out this gospel by continuing to do services to others as John did for Jesus.
In my interpretation of this verse beyond what is directly occurring, Jesus is telling John that one must fulfill, to the best of their extent, their holiness and connection to God, especially when doing the sacraments to strengthen your faith.
Even though Jesus himself is the son of God and all divine, he is still all human and must keep himself holy in human standards, such as being baptized. Keeping yourself holy and following the law is what it means to follow The Way, because as God is holy, we must strive to be holy ourselves.
In our efforts to “fulfill all righteousness” we must always strive to follow the word and follow the law as Christ intends us to do, in our behavior and attitude. Though to follow this perfect nature, that being of Jesus Christ, is still a hard thing to do since we’re human beings who maintain imperfections and sin.
I sometimes fail in my pursuit to be holy from failing to remember and honor Christ. But as Christians, me and others can overcome this as much as we can and maintain human holiness and even if we do sin, we can undergo true repentance and seek confession to bring us back up, serving as great encouragement for me.
Maintaining our holiness also heavily involves engaging in the sacraments and prayer life so that his love can fill our mind, body, and spirit throughout the day and week. By receiving his love each day, we can always remember to be holy and follow the lord, circling back to our Gospel reading.
For daily life, it’s not just about doing bad things, but not failing to do what’s good. For example, if one sees a stranger drop their wallet on the floor, the person may not steal it out of good will but it doesn’t mean they should ignore it and let the stranger walk away without their wallet, or if one ignores to help someone struggling to open the door.
All in all, we must strive to be and act as holy as we can, whether in the faith or in our daily life. For almost anything, I guess just ask “What Would Jesus Do?”