St. Ephrem: ‘abandon hidden things, take up what is revealed’. In his baptism, Jesus
reveals the kingdom of God and initiates a new journey for humanity. Isaiah spoke of
Jesus as the suffering servant of God who plunged himself into a wounded world; in
his beloved Son God embraced a world of sin and malice. Isaiah gives the agenda of
Christ the suffering servant of God: he is servant well-pleased by God; he shall mend
the broken and crushed; he is the light that brings people out of dark dungeons; his
task is victory of justice, justice through love. Kingdom of God is what satisfies inner
human hunger and thirst, gives answers to human quest. As suffering servant, Jesus
chose to walk the difficult path, to help us walk with him in our trials. A decision to walk
with Christ is a kingdom-walk, the way of Christ-walk. Jesus reveals his way as love
without boundaries. Let humanity listen to God’s beloved Son, follow his way, change
hearts and build God’s kingdom in the world.
Heavens were opened at Jesus’ baptism, a symbol of new relationship between God
and humanity in Christ. Our baptism was an opening of heaven experience for us, God
welcoming us to be his beloved. Heaven opened is an invitation to live with a sense of
wonder in the divine presence. Often sense of wonder is replaced by grievances,
consumed by revenge instead of being peacemakers and fed by fear, lies and anxiety
instead of trust and hope! A new self-image is given to us in baptism. We abandoned
the hidden things: resentful, unhappy, fearful, false-self and disruptions of the past. We
are given a new vision of life, truth of God, the way to wholeness of life. We
contemplate, listen that Christ and his words may transform us, be in us as grace, light,
strength and as truth of life! Often we put a veil over our following of Christ. The
awakening happened in our baptism must be made present in us each day. Awakening
is to embrace peace, joy of the kingdom and set out with the program of love.
In our baptism Christ kindled the flame of love in us that we may have welcoming,
praying and charitable hearts to ease the sufferings of the world, attend to the wounds
of the past and move forward healed! Be a flame: once there was a piece of iron that
was very strong. One after another, the ax, the saw, the hammer and the flame tried to
break it. I will master it said the ax. Its blows fell heavily on the iron but every blow
made its edge more blunt, until it ceased to strike. Leave it to me said the saw and it
worked backward and forward on the iron’s surface until its jagged teeth were all worn
and broken. then it fell aside. Ah, said the hammer. I will show you the way but at the
first fierce blow, off blew its head and the iron remained as before. Shall I try, asked the
small, soft flame? forget it, all replied, what can you do? But the flame curled around
the iron, embraced it and never left the iron until it melted. And you? Do you pound and
try to break through? Or, are you a steady flame that melts a break through?
What God is revealing in your life? What needs to melt in your life? Embrace the flame
of Christ’s love that can melt hardness of heart and heal the broken heart; his Spirit
guides you to rethink, repent and reorder your life!