BELOVED AND SENT: BAPTISM AS IDENTITY AND MISSION
Homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Year A Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch Readings: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17 A young entrepreneur once shared how, in the midst of success and admiration, he felt strangely unsure of who he really was. Titles changed, achievements faded, and expectations kept shifting. One day, while attending the baptism of a niece, he was struck by the words: “This is my beloved child.” He later said, “For the first time, I wondered if my deepest identity was not what I do, but who I am before God.” The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord invites us into that same discovery. The feast of Baptism marks the official end of the Christmas season. The baptism of Jesus marks a decisive transition from hidden life to public mission. Jesus steps into the Jordan not as a sinner in need of repentance, but as the Sinless One who chooses solidarity with sinners. This is already a revelation of God’s way: redemption begins not with distance, but with...
