Sunday 9 January 2022
The Baptism of the Lord - Feast
Spiritual Reading
Your Second Reading from the Office of Readings:
The Baptism of the Lord
The Baptism of Christ, by Piero della Francesca, c.1450-60.
From a sermon by Saint Gregory Nazianzen
The baptism of Christ
Christ is bathed in light; let us also be bathed in light. Christ is baptized; let us also go down with him, and rise with him.
John is baptizing when Jesus draws near. Perhaps he comes to sanctify his baptizer; certainly he comes to bury sinful humanity in the waters. He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake and in readiness for us; he who is spirit and flesh comes to begin a new creation through the Spirit and water.
The Baptist protests; Jesus insists. Then John says: I ought to be baptized by you. He is the lamp in the presence of the sun, the voice in the presence of the Word, the friend in the presence of the Bridegroom, the greatest of all born of woman in the presence of the firstborn of all creation, the one who leapt in his mother’s womb in the presence of him who was adored in the womb, the forerunner and future forerunner in the presence of him who has already come and is to come again. I ought to be baptized by you: we should also add, “and for you,” for John is to be baptized in blood, washed clean like Peter, not only by the washing of his feet.
Jesus rises from the waters; the world rises with him. The heavens, like Paradise with its flaming sword, closed by Adam for himself and his descendants, are rent open. The Spirit comes to him as to an equal, bearing witness to his Godhead. A voice bears witness to him from heaven, his place of origin. The Spirit descends in bodily form like the dove that so long ago announced the ending of the flood and so gives honour to the body that is one with God.
Today let us do honour to Christ’s baptism and celebrate this feast in holiness. Be cleansed entirely and continue to be cleansed. Nothing gives such pleasure to God as the conversion and salvation of men, for whom his every word and every revelation exist. He wants you to become a living force for all mankind, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the great light, bathed in the glory of him who is the light of heaven. You are to enjoy more and more the pure and dazzling light of the Trinity, as now you have received – though not in its fullness – a ray of its splendour, proceeding from the one God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
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In other parts of the world and other calendars:
Saint Andrew Corsini, Bishop
From 'The Life of Saint Andrew' by Bishop Francesco Venturi
The good and faithful servant whom the Lord places over his household
Andrew was chosen to rule the church of Fiesole by the evident call of God. He so dedicated himself to the worship of God, looked after the salvation of souls with such vigilance, faithfully persevered in the task entrusted to him with such holiness of life, that in all justice he can be for the pastors of the Church a perfect exemplar of what a bishop should be.
Though he was already advanced in age and afflicted by various illnesses, he increased rather than abated the rigours by which he was accustomed to control his senses. The holy bishop was moved by such kindness and pity towards the needy and afflicted that the very thought of them moved him to tears. It is well known that no poor person left his presence uncomforted. He often sat at the door of his residence and personally distributed bread to the needy. But this holy man’s kindness was not restricted to this place; it spread far and wide. He showed himself especially generous with those whom he knew to be in straitened conditions, and yet could not approach him personally because of age, circumstances or social standing. His was a spontaneous open-handedness which foresaw needs; to some he even gave large quantities of grain. His goodness was not reserved for those of his own diocese but overflowed to the citizens of Florence and other places. To all these people he distributed not only alms but also clothing.
The holy bishop expended large sums of money for the construction and restoration of churches. He restored much of the cathedral, which was close to complete ruin, and embellished the facade with cut stone. He had residences built for the canons. He restored and enlarged the bishop’s house, where he himself took up residence, so that he might furnish an apt and appropriate dwelling for his successors.
Among his own Carmelite brethren, he showed himself to be a splendid father of his household, providing inspired leadership in the living of religious life. As bishop he provided for the Christian lifestyle of the members of his household. He was constantly vigilant and attentive in safeguarding Church patrimony. At home he was frugal, but generous and even extravagant in what concerned the worship of God and help to the needy.
The holy bishop dedicated much time to settling quarrels among the citizens of Florence. Privately he eliminated hatred by means of friendly conversations; publicly he preached Christian charity and civic harmony. Since he preached well and was held in veneration because of his fame for holiness, many came to hear him, not only from nearby villages but from Florence itself.
This wise leader knew how to temper the rigour of a judge with the gentleness of a pastor. He never tired, year after year, of decreeing that priests reside in their parishes. In the first place, most priests were ignorant of the doctrine of the Church and of their proper duties. Understandably, they were of no benefit to the people; on the contrary, because of their ignorance they were a negative factor, especially in the case of those who by their scandalous lives gave bad example. Consequently, on his canonical visitations of the diocese, the saintly bishop was obliged to examine his clergy as to their knowledge of doctrine. Those whom he found to be little suited for Church offices and for working for the salvation of souls – and their number was great – he removed from their benefices, which he granted to others who were more suited.
We are aware that much of what we have said has frequently been practised by other pastors of the Church. Some might say that these things are not especially worthy of recall. However, we are of the opinion that whatever the saints have said or done for the increase of divine worship and the good of the people should be proclaimed.
Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.