Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 2nd Sunday in Advent.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The third article of the Apostle’s Creed is “Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary” There are nineteen (19) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 565.
Jesus’ ‘public life’ began at His baptism in the Jordan River by John (cf. Matthew 3:13-17). This was not the Trinitarian Baptism which we receive as the beginning of our life in Christ in obedience to His command (cf. Matthew 28:19). John’s baptism was one of penance (cf. Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). Jesus’ public life (roughly AD 30-33) is distinct from His ‘hidden life’ (Roughly AD 12-30).
The Baptism of the Lord Jesus is the first Mystery of Light of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. These are the ‘new’ mysteries recommended by Pope John Paul II in his letter on the Rosary (2 October, 2002) which ‘fill in’ part of the ‘gap’ which went from the finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (cf. Luke 2:46) to His Agony in the Garden (cf. Luke 22:43). The Mysteries of Light allow us to contemplate Jesus’ public ministry as we continue it as we live and move and have our being in Him, in fidelity to our Baptism (cf. Acts 17:28).
By His death and resurrection Jesus served both the Father and us, those whom He came to redeem. We who are His followers are in turn to serve all (cf. Mark 10:44).
Jesus Himself likens His Passion to a ‘baptism’ (cf. Luke 12:50). In this light we can see why those who have suffered martyrdom are said to have a ‘baptism of blood.’
There are different ‘consecrations’ in our lives. ‘Consecration’ sets things apart for God. In Baptism we are set apart for God, our lives in Christ begin and we are set apart to cooperate with Christ in His redemptive work (cf. Colossians 1:24; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12). The heart of the Holy Mass is the Consecration of the bread and wine, changing them by God’s power into Christ Himself: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. In Holy Marriage human love is consecrated to God’s service and the sanctification of the couple. In the course of the Last Supper the Lord Jesus consecrated Himself so that we could, in turn, be set apart for God (cf. John 17:19).
While we may not all suffer the bloody martyrdom like Maria Goretti (1890-1902) or Miguel Augustine Pro (1891-1927), the ‘white martyrdom’ of social ostracization fulfills likewise one of the Lord’s beatitude: Blessed are you when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for My sake: be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in Heaven”(Matthew 5:10-11).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr