First reading Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7
Here is my servant, in whom my soul delights
Thus says the Lord:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom my soul delights.
I have endowed him with my spirit
that he may bring true justice to the nations.
He does not cry out or shout aloud,
or make his voice heard in the streets.
He does not break the crushed reed,
nor quench the wavering flame.
Faithfully he brings true justice;
he will neither waver, nor be crushed
until true justice is established on earth,
for the islands are awaiting his law.
I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right;
I have taken you by the hand and formed you;
I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to free captives from prison,
and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.
Responsorial Psalm 28(29):1-4,9-10
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
O give the Lord, you sons of God,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name.
Adore the Lord in his holy court.
The Lord’s voice resounding on the waters,
the Lord on the immensity of waters;
the voice of the Lord, full of power,
the voice of the Lord, full of splendour.
The God of glory thunders.
In his temple they all cry: ‘Glory!’
The Lord sat enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits as king for ever.
Gospel Matthew 3:13-17
‘This is my Son, the Beloved’
Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him. ‘It is I who need baptism from you’ he said ‘and yet you come to me!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.’ At this, John gave in to him.
As soon as Jesus was baptised he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’
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Jesus is in solidarity with us
“John tried to dissuade him, with the words, ‘It is I who need baptism from you, and yet you come to me!'”. John the Baptist recognised that Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Messiah, did not need baptism. Thus, he struggled with, “You should be the one baptising, not me!”. However, when Jesus told him to do it, John the Baptist gave in and did what Jesus said. The invitation for us is that we need to be like John the Baptist. When Jesus speaks, we trust and obey, even when we do not see the full picture or understand the “why”.
Jesus waited in line and entered the River Jordan with the Jews to show that He was in solidarity with those who regarded themselves as sinners. He identified Himself with their desire to grow closer to God and their struggles of failures and imperfections. In the same way, Jesus is never indifferent to us but identifies with us in our joys and sorrows, in our successes and brokenness. Jesus enters the rivers of our life and walks with us in our journey towards more God.
Reflective question:
What is Jesus’ message to me in this time of silent prayer?
What is Jesus’ message to me in this time of silent prayer?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD
