• Gen 9:8-15
• 1 Pet 3:18-22
• Mark 1:12-15

Thoughts for your consideration:

Covenants are a social contract. In many ways the scripture is an ongoing saga of the social contract between God and his Creation. For some Christians this notion of a covenant is understood to be very passive. God is the only active participant and only through His grace can we possibly be expected to actualize our part of the bargain. In this sense the idea of a contract is very misleading because by its very definition a contract freely involves two active participants.

We Catholics do not dismiss grace, in many ways grace is like our divine lawyer who can help us navigate the difficult details of this contract. But our tradition has also emphasized the importance of free will. God very much expects us to perform. The infamous Babylonian captivity of ancient Israel is a reminder of what happens when we break from our part of the agreement.

The theme of the covenant is prominent throughout the readings for this Sunday. Genesis starts us off very directly by reminding us of the covenant God made with humanity to never flood the world again. The first letter of Peter takes us back to this incident and connects our baptism into the Body of Christ with the covenant that saved Noah and his descendents. Christ is the new covenant for us so that through the powerful grace of His life, death and resurrection we can freely engage in the responsible administration of this contract. Baptism into Christ can grace us “as an appeal to God for a good conscience.” Baptism into Christ is a powerful tool that can aid us in following the covenant.

So then what is our part of the bargain? What is our responsibility under this new covenant? In the gospel Jesus tells us to “repent, and believe in the good news.” Being human Jesus takes on the temptations we face. Jesus goes through this episode but emerges as a reformed person that follows not his own passion and desires but that of God his father. The word repent mean to reform from our past life to a new life that is consistent with the good news. The good news is that the Kingdom of God is arriving and Jesus lives as a citizen of this Kingdom. We are called to follow his actions in becoming citizens of the Kingdom of God. Jesus demonstrated this reformed lifestyle by:

• healing the sick
• feeding the poor
• forgiving sinners
• socializing with the outcast
• comforting the heartbroken

And throughout all this Jesus teaches us about the great love and mercy that God invites us to share with the rest of creation. This is the Kingdom of God. This is the social contract that we Christians have been called to fulfill.

Questions for your reflection:

• How does the gift of free will strike you? How do you take personal responsibility in being a Christian?
• What temptations keep you from living out your baptism? Do you use the tools of grace (such as prayer and scripture) to aid you with these temptations.
• How does our society address the issues of temptation? Does it seek what is comfortable and materialistic or is it willing to serve God and the common good of all creation? How can we be agents of reform to the social sins of our world?

• Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 or Isaiah 55:1-11
• Acts 10:34-38 or 1 John 5:1-9
• Mark 1:7-11

Thoughts for Your Consideration:

This week’s readings center us on the wondrous event that took place when Jesus was baptized by John. In the Gospel reading by Mark we notice that the highlight is not so much the physical baptism by John as much as the divine affirmation by the Spirit. This is the moment when Jesus is commissioned to begin his salvific ministry.

In Isaiah we get a glimpse of the job description for this mission: “He will bring forth justice to the nations… (he will be) a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon.” The mission of Jesus is about serving those in need, caring for those who are poor, and promoting political and economic justice. Isaiah also reminds us of Jesus’ spirit of nonviolence which he will use to bring forth justice, “a bruised reed he will not break.”

An important point in this reflection is the role of the Spirit. Jesus’ mission of justice does not come directly from his baptism by John. The function of the baptism seems to place Jesus’ emerging ministry within the prophetic tradition. The true source for this life mission is the Spirit of God itself. God affirms the sacred dignity of Jesus in his life and mission. Whereas Jesus is the incarnation of God with Humanity, this event seems to signify the incarnation of Jesus’ ministry both within an historical human tradition and a divine commission.

But a further point is also made in these readings. This sacred dignity does not end with Jesus. Isaiah again tells us, “I have given you as a covenant to the people.” Furthermore Peter explains how this mission of Jesus now is expanded to “us who were chosen by God as witnesses.” If this is not enough consider also how the salvific mission of Jesus is itself a community building mission of, “doing good and healing all who were oppressed.” We are recipients of this sacred dignity that was bestowed on Jesus and passed onto us as his witnesses and followers.

There are many principles to Catholic social teaching. But the one principle that is fundamental to all is the dignity of all creation. Catholic social teaching proclaims that all life is sacred and we all share the dignity of being sons and daughters of God. By sharing in this sacred dignity we also share in this sacred mission of building the human community by promoting Justice and Peace which both Isaiah and Peter remind us is our sacred obligation. As we hear the story of Jesus’ baptism we should not be passively accepting an historical moment, rather we should be celebrating our own divine commission.

Questions for Reflection in your Faith Sharing Group:
•    Isaiah talks of the call to bring justice onto the earth.
•    We have a vocation to work for justice.
•    How are you called to do that today?
•    How are we called to do that today?

•    When were you baptized?
•    What does being a baptized Christian mean to you?
•    What are the values that it commits you to live by?

Peace,

John