Plan of God for the World
Fr.Gus Carter 1/ 9 /05

Today we celebrate again the manifestation of who Jesus Christ is. At his birth the angels announced the presence of God among us in a special way. At the Epiphany we celebrate the manifestation of God's Son to all nations. In Christ, as the Letter to Titus tells us, "The kindness and generous love of God appeared." This same letter continues, "He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." Matthew's Gospel today relates the proclamation by a voice from heaven, "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased."

As we recall Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, we are reminded of our own baptism. Jesus had himself baptized to demonstrate that he had joined the sinful human race. He has come to rescue us from the darkness and violence that are so much a part of human existence. Our baptism signals that we have become part of God's plan to rescue humans from the sufferings caused by sin. When we were baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on us also. Being anointed by the love of God has made us brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. With him we partake in God's plan for the human race.

St. Paul was sent to preach to the pagans of his day. They had not heard of the true God of Israel. History shows that many people of Paul's time were disgusted with the immorality of their time. They were confused also by clever men who spoke well but who only talked to benefit themselves. St. Paul describes this situation in his Letter to the Ephesians: "You at that time were without Christ... without hope and without God in the world." He says later in the letter that he brought Christ so that "you may no longer be infants tossed by waves and swept along by every word of teaching arising from human trickery, from cunning in the interest of deceitful scheming." Rather," Paul said, "living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ."

St. Paul preached that God had a plan from the beginning of time to rescue humans from hatred, violence and deceit that are so much part of the human condition. Jesus Christ came to teach us and to show us how to live peacefully in this world. The Sacrament of Baptism marks our entrance into the plan of God. The word "Baptism" usually indicates the pouring of water in the sacrament. The modern Church prefers to call Baptism "the Rite of Initiation." This stresses that Baptism is only a beginning. Parents at Baptism promise to raise their children to be followers of Jesus Christ. At the Baptismal ceremony all Christians present are asked to participate in the sacrament as a way of each person acknowledging his or her responsibility to act in such a way that they will encourage others to live Christ-like lives.

Many commentators about modern social life see numerous signs of moral decadence. Why, they ask, do so-called "Reality Shows" draw such huge audiences on television. These shows encouraging humiliating individuals, rewarding people for brutal competition, make sport of marital infidelity. The advertising profession for fifty years has spent billions of dollars studying how to sell products with no regard to social consequences. At every turn the media is attempting to make us feel that only through buying can we be happy. Commercial advertising pushes humans to measure their lives by how much and by what they have. Whatever truth, compassion, sensitivity are displayed are used only to sell. The lack of truth in so many areas of life make for a cynical society. Some persons ask, "How do you trust anyone?"

St. John, echoing apostolic preaching, describes how we may resist and overcome the enticements of the world: "Beloved, let us love one another because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God." We are even told to love our enemies. In human history we see the destruction caused by hated and vengeance. On the other hand, we have seen how non-violent resistance to wrongs has brought peace to two sides of a problem. Yet in practice this proves to be very difficult. The answer is that we do not depend on ourselves. Jesus promised us his Spirit. If we ask for it, the power of God's love will enter our lives and allow us to love as God loves. We are empowered by God's life that entered humanity through Jesus' resurrection from the dead. We must pray for the trust, the faith, that opens itself to the Lord's grace.

Through the power of Jesus resurrection we may heal our own hatred, we may love others into loving themselves. Every person we love makes it more possible for us to partake more fully in our Creator's plan for all.