Twofold Meaning of the Baptism of the Lord: To Set Baptism for Sacrament and To Initiate His Salvific Ministry

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the conclusion of Christmastide on the liturgical calendar. From the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord on, we have reflected on the growth of the incarnated Christ, Jesus, from his birth in Bethlehem to his adulthood to be baptized by John the Baptist throughout Christmastide. 

During Christmastide, we reflected on the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, to better understand the family context in which Jesus grew up. We see how Joseph protected baby Jesus from Herod’s massacre (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23, Cycle A), how Mary and Joseph dedicated baby Jesus to God in the Temple after Mary’s postpartum purification period (Luke 2:22-40, Cycle B), and how Jesus spoke the primacy of God in the family when Mary and Joseph found him in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52, Cycle C).

We also honored Mary as the Mother of God (Θεοτόκος:Theotokos – bearer of God, one who gives birth to God) on the Octave Day of Christmas, envisioning Mary and Joseph giving a blessing (to their newborn son, in circumcising him (בְּרִית מִילָה – brit milah) (Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3) and giving him the name, “Jesus” (Luke 2:21), also reflecting on Mary’s contemplative nature upon what has been seen and said about Jesus (Luke 2:16-20).

Then, we celebrated Epiphany of the Lord, manifestation of the incarnated Christ to Gentiles, represented by the Magi from the east, pointing to Christ’s glorious power seen by all nation (Matthew 2:1-12). And this sets the tone for Christ’s public appearance to begin his ministry, which is passed on to his disciples upon his ascension, following his death and resurrection, formalized on Pentecost. 

As we recall from the Second Sunday of Advent, John the Baptist was preparing people for the appearance of Christ, calling them to repent and baptizing them for repentance.  John was guiding them to start a new life with a clean heart when Christ comes and heralding the Good News of Christ. This is reflected in the second option of the First Reading (Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11).

While John the Baptist continued to preach penance and baptize those with contrition, their expectation for the coming of Christ grew and wondered if John could be the Christ (Luke 3:15). To this, John clarified that he was not the Christ and described the Christ as the one who is mightier than him coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:16). 

For him to bring baptism with the Holy Spirit, Christ sanctified water of baptism by submitting to be baptized by John the Baptist, as St. Maximus of Turin. Upon this sanctification to set for the Sacrament of Baptism for us, the Father spoke from heaven and the Holy Spirit descended when Jesus was praying upon his baptism (Luke 3:21-22). And baptism formally became sacramental for us to initiate our Christian life and officially instituted when Jesus commissioned the disciples shortly before his ascension (Matthew 28:19). 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit brought by Jesus (Luke 3:16) also refers to the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples on Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4). As the Holy Spirit is power (Acts 1:8), baptism of the Holy Spirit empowers us. It means, being submerged (baptized) with the descending Holy Spirit, as the disciples were on Pentecost to give birth to the one holy catholic (universal) apostolic Church (Acts 2:1-4), fills us with the Holy Spirit and various gifts of the Holy Spirit. This fact is reflected in the Sacrament of Confirmation as this completes the Sacraments of Christian Initiation, which starts with the Sacrament of Baptism and nourished with the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1285) says:

Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation," whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed."

In addition to the baptism with the Holy Spirit by Christ, John the Baptist also tells that Christ will bring the baptism with fire (Luke 3:16). This type of baptism rather refers to the judgement that he is going to bring, separating only the pure to enter his Kingdom from those who are not (i.e. Luke 3:17; cf. Malachi 3:2-3). This may also mean purifying fire to make sure that we are saved and redeemed in his Kingdom (i.e. Numbers 31:23; Isaiah 1:24-24; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2-3; 1 Peter 1:7). In this regard, we can receive baptism of fire in purgatory as a sure preparation to go to heaven. 

Jesus is the incarnated God, therefore, he has no sin. This may makes us wonder why Jesus came and submit himself to John the Baptist to be baptized among sinners with contrition. In fact, as aforementioned, and addressed by St. Maximus of Turin, it is to sanctify baptism. He addressed this in his homily (Sermon 13 B, Sequel to the First Sermon on Epiphany (Theophany), which refers to the Baptism of the Lord:

Although it had been harsh and cold, the water is purged and endowed with the Warmth of the Lord’s Blessing, so that what had removed material stains a little before now cleanses the spiritual stains of souls. Nor should we be surprised that we speak of water, which is something of bodily substance, as cleansing the soul. There is no doubt that it comes and penetrates into all that is secret in the conscience. For although it is already subtle and fine, yet, having become even more subtle by Christ’s Blessing, it passes through the hidden tissues of life to the recesses of the soul like a spiritual dew. For the current of blessings is more subtle than the flow of waters. Hence we have also said that in the Baptism of the Saviour the Blessing which flowed down like a spiritual stream touched the outpouring of every flood and the course of every stream. When Christ stood in the Jordan the flood of waters moved wondrously, but the Flood of Blessings also Flowed. In the one the river’s stream was borne more violently, while in the other the Most Pure Font of the Saviour diffused itself. And in a certain wonderful way the consecration of that Baptism went back to the source of the Jordan, and the Flow of the Blessings was carried in the opposite direction to the flow of the waters, which is the reason, I think, that David said: “The Jordan is turned back.”  For in the Baptism of Christ it was not the waters of the Jordan that urned back but the Grace of the Sacrament, and it returned to the source of its own being in Blessing rather than in substance, inasmuch as the Grace of Consecration was dispersed to every stream, it may be seen that its own onrush was called back to the beginning of its flow.

This is why the baptism became the first Sacrament of Christian Initiation. 

Also for Jesus, his Baptism means the initiation of his public ministry. After his Baptism, led by the Holy Spirit, he spent 40 days in the wilderness to be tested by Satan’s temptations (Luke 4:1-13), and began his ministry in Galilee (Luke 4:14-15; Acts 10:37-39). This is reflected in the first option of the First Reading (Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7), as it reflects that Jesus came to serve the Father’s will for our salvific benefits, through the new covenant (v.6). And this new covenant is established in the Sacrament of the Eucharist (i.e. Luke 22:20). So there is a parallel between Christ’s initiation of his ministry upon his Baptism and our initiation of Christian Life through the Sacrament of Baptism, which was made possible through Christ’s Baptism, as addressed by St. Maximus of Turin.

As the second option of the Second Reading (Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7) reflects, the Baptism of the Lord, as a theophany, means the grace of God appearing. And we will prepare ourselves for his second coming with blessed hope – to be baptized with fire, to be pure for redemption into his Kingdom. 

The Epiphany of the Lord – Christ the Light Manifesting above Israel Cannot be Overcome by Darkness of Evil

The Gospel Reading of the Epiphany of the Lord (Matthew 2:1-12) describes the Magi’s homage to the incarnated Christ, whom they recognized as the newborn king of the Jews (v.2). 

The Magi were not Jew. They were Gentiles, probably Persian. They were believed to be scholars of Zoroastrian astrology. 

Through their study of stars in the sky, the Magi saw a star rising above the area of Jerusalem and realized it was the star of the Christ, signaling his birth, prompting their homage to him (v.2). 

This makes us wonder if the Magi were aware of these prophetic words of Balaam in his fourth oracle:

The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is true, the oracle of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, of one who sees what the Almighty sees, in rapture and with eyes unveiled. I see him, though not now; I observe him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel, that will crush the brows of Moab, and the skull of all the Sethites, Edom will be dispossessed, and no survivor is left in Seir. Israel will act boldly, and Jacob will rule his foes (Numbers 24:15-19).

Balaam was a wicked Ammonite prophet, who served Balak, Moabite king, who asked him to curse Israel (Numbers 22:2-40). Though he was not righteous and pagan, Balaam was able to hear God of Israel. As a result, Balaam ended up blessing Israel through his four oracles, contrary to Balak’s expectation (Numbers 22:41-24:25). 

Balaam heard God of Israel and foresaw what Magi saw, a star advancing from Israel (Jacob), and this star is with the rising scepter (Numbers 24:17; cf. Matthew 2:2).  Balaam’s oracle makes it clear about the rising of a extremely powerful king of Israel to crush its enemies, about 1,400 years, before the Magi seeing this star from the east. 

Journeying westward from the east (probably Persia), the Magi inquired Herod the Great about the newborn king of the Jews, as Herod was the ruler of the Jews of Judea, under the Roman rule. Hearing “the newborn king of the Jews”, Herod and the rest of Jerusalem was highly alarmed (Matthew 2:3), as he was the king of the Jews at that time. He had to find out about “the newborn king of the Jews”, as a prospect of another king of the Jews was rather a threat to him. So he inquired the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah (Christ) was to be born (Matthew 2:4). And they pointed to these words of Malachi (Matthew 2:5-6):

But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathaha least among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times (Malachi 5:1).

Then, Herod began his plot to eliminate “the newborn king of the Jews” secretly, first, by trying to gain credible information about the star and whereabouts of the newborn king, while pretending as if he would also pay homage to him (Matthew 2:7-8). After this, having overjoyed for seeing the star that they had seen from the east at its rising, again, they were guided by the star to where baby Jesus was with Mary, offering him the gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:9-11). These gifts presented by the Magi indicate their knowledge of newborn Jesus was more than the newborn king of the Jews, as frankincense symbolizes the divinity of Jesus (cf. Exodus 30:34-37), and myrrh implicates the death of Jesus (i.e. John 19:38-40; cf. John 12:1-11), while gold was to honor Jesus as the king (cf. 1 Kings 10:10-18).

Upon their homage to the incarnated Christ (Messiah), the Magi did not return to Herod but took a different route home, as warned in their dream (Matthew 2:12).

In this Gospel episode, there is a clear contrast between the light of God and the darkness of evil. 

The star that the Magi saw in the west sky (direction of Israel from the east) is the light of Christ, who is the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5). And they overjoyed when they saw this star again. The Magi, though they were not Jew, sought and paid homage to the one that the star pointed, and he was baby Jesus, the newborn king not only of the Jews but of all nations. The Magi were the first Gentiles to recognize the birth of the Christ in Bethlehem through the rising star over Israel, which was first prophesized by Balaam, a Gentile. 

As opposed to this, Herod represents the darkness. He was extremely insecure and emotionally unstable ruler. Because of this, Herod was enraged to have found that he was fooled by the Magi, as they did not come back to him to tell where they saw the newborn king, and massacred all boys of age 2 and under in Bethlehem and its vicinity, in order to eliminate his rival king, the newborn king of the Jews (Matthew 2:16-18). These little boys are known as the Holy Innocents. While this took place, Jesus, the newborn king of the Jews, the newborn King of all nations, was taken with his mother, Mary, by Joseph to Egypt for safety, as the angel of the Lord warned him and ordered him to do so (Matthew 2:13-15). 

Herod’s bloody reaction to the news of the newborn king also foreshadows how the darkness of evil in the world killed the incarnated Christ, Jesus, charging him as “the king of the Jews”, setting up as a threat to Caesar, to let the Roman authority execute him (John 18:28-19:30). It was when the darkness covered Jerusalem (Matthew 27:45). 

But, the darkness of evil does not have the final word, because Christ the light (John 8:12; 9:5) cannot be overcome, and it is proven through the resurrection of the Christ, for the light of the Christ is also his eternal life. 

John wrote the Christ, light, and life:

All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:3-5)

I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness (John 12:46).

God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:11-12).

And the contrast between the Magi and Herod, the light and the darkness, are reflected in these words of John

This is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God (John 3:19-21).

What is significant about Epiphany is light, because Epiphany is about manifestation of the Christ to the eyes of the Gentiles. For us to see an object in manifestation, there has to be light. This is simple physics. In fact,  the word, “epiphany” comes from the Greek word, “ἐπιφάνεια”(epiphaneia), which means “appearance” and “manifestation”. And its verb form is “ἐπιφαίνω” (epiphaino), which is composed of ἐπί (epi - upon) and φαίνω (phaino -to shine, to bring light). And φαίνω (phaino) is related to φῶς (phos), light. 

As the incarnated Christ was bo(rn, his presence first manifested to the Magi in the east through the light (φῶς (phos)) of the rising over (ἐπί (epi)) Israel. And they sought this light and found the Christ the King. They did not let the darkness, Herod, interfere their pilgrimage. They did not cooperate the darkness, Herod, either. 

The action of the Magi is reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 60:1-6), as they rose to the rising star shining above Israel for their pilgrimage to offer their gifts to the Christ the light, as Queen Sheba paid her homage to Solomon with her gifts to him (1 Kings 10:1-13). 

This passage from Isaiah 60 actually a post-exilic prophecy for the restored Jerusalem, where the Lord resides, will enjoy homages by all nations and those who come to bring gifts to Him in Jerusalem are radiant with joy and His light. In Jerusalem, the Mount Zion, there is the House of the Lord, to which all nations are streaming (Isaiah 2:2). 

The Magi’s homage to newborn Jesus took place in light of this post-exilic prophecy of restored Jerusalem. But, it rather implicates Christ’s prophecy that all people are drawn to him as he ascends from the earth (John 12:32). 

This is reflected in the refrain of the Responsorial Psalm:

All nations on earth shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord (Psalm 72:11).

The Second Reading (Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6) reflects that the Epiphany, as visible manifestation of the Christ to the Gentiles, a revelation of the mystery of Christ, so that all peoples of all nations stream to him, paying homage, bringing their gifts as stewards of God’s grace. 

After all, the Epiphany of the Lord is about Christ manifesting in visible light of the star shining over Israel, seen by the Magi, who were Gentiles, and this light of Christ cannot be overcome by the darkness of evil of Herod. 

Christ has been incarnated and been born of Mary. Have you recognized this? Has Christ the light manifested to you and guided you to him? Then, as a steward of God’s grace, what are you going to bring to the newborn King for your homage to him? 

A Lesson from the Holy Family's Temple Incident - Feast of the Holy Family, Cycle C

On Cycle C of the Liturgical Calendar, the Gospel Reading of the Feast of the Holy Family (Luke 2:41-52) is somewhat challenging as many people see Jesus in this Gospel narrative as defiant to Mary for saying, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”(v.49), in response to Mary’s admonishing words to him for not staying with his family group, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety”(v. 48).

On the way back to Nazareth, Mary and Joseph realized that their son, Jesus, was not with them. Imagine how they had felt. 

They searched Jesus with great anxiety but with diligence for 3 days. They traced their path back to Jerusalem and came to the Temple, where they were for Passover observance. There, they found their son, Jesus, amidst teachers, listening to them and asking them questions (v. 46). Though he was a 12-year-old boy from Nazareth, Jesus astounded these teachers with his understanding and responses to their questions (v.47).

Seeing their son, impressing teachers in the Temple, Mary and Joseph must have been astonished, too. But Mary’s maternal love for her son was verbally expressed to remind him how Mary and Joseph had to look for him (v. 48).

But Jesus’ response did not verbally show his concern for Mary and Joseph but only explicitly expressed the priority of the Father (v. 49). And Mary and Joseph did not understand what he said to them (v. 50).

So what is a lesson we can learn from the Holy Family here?

The First Reading (Ben Sira 3:2-6, 12-14) expounds on one of the Ten Commandments, to honor parents (Exodus 20:12). In light of this, for triggering great anxiety of Mary and Joseph for not sticking to them when they were leaving Jerusalem, was Jesus not honoring Mary and Joseph, his earthly parents? 

Perhaps, it depends on how we see Jesus. 

If we see Jesus as a mere son of Mary and Joseph, then, his response to Mary (vv.48-49) rather seems disrespectful and defiant. However, if we see Jesus as the Son of God, the Father, then, he was demonstrating his priority to the Father in heaven, from whom he came (John 7:28-29; cf. John 20:21). In fact, Jesus was practicing what he teaches about the priority, which is God. That is why he teaches that we must love Christ more than our earthly families (i.e. Luke 14:26).

Just because we are called to love Jesus more than our earthly families, it does not mean that we neglect to honor our parents. For Jesus, the Father is the one he loves more than anyone else. Nevertheless, he loves us so dearly – to the point of laying down his own life, showing the greatest love for us (John 15:13). In fact, he showed this greatest love for us because it was in his Father’s will (Luke 22:42). 

This is what Mary did not understand at that time and had to learn. 

After all, Jesus grew up being obedient to Mary and Joseph, while growing in wisdom as being favored by God the Father and people (vv. 51-52), while Mary was contemplating on all of these (v.50).

From this Gospel text in honoring the Holy Family, we are reminded that God is the most important factor of a family of the faithful. Honoring parents and parents loving their children are predicated by keeping God as the center of our families. This is why we must love our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5) first and foremost. 

John the Baptist is Born to "Preheat the Salvation Oven" for Christ - Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent (December 23)

When you cook something in the oven, you preheat the oven first. Then, when the oven is heated enough, you put what you cook in the oven. Salvation work is like this. Salvation is like cooking in the oven. 

First, God made Elizabeth conceive John the Baptist after years of infertility (Luke 1:5-17). And she gave birth to John (Luke 1:57) to prepare the coming of the Christ (Luke 3:1-18). John the Baptist’s preparatory ministry for the coming of the Christ is like preheating the oven. 

Then, when Elizabeth was in 6th month pregnancy with John, by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35-36), God made Mary the Blessed Virgin conceive with the Christ, incarnated in the human flesh, Jesus (Luke 1:31-33,35).  And she gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7). When he was 33 (Luke 3:23), John the Baptist already made everything ready for him to start his public ministry. It was like the oven was preheated well and ready to have what is to be cooked inside. 

The First Reading (Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24) reminds that the coming of John the Baptist as the precursor of the Christ (Messiah) and the coming of Christ were prophesized by Malachi around 500-450 BC. He is recognized as the last post-exilic prophet in the Old Testament. 

In Malachi’s prophecy, John the Baptist is not only the forerunner of the Christ, the messenger who prepares the way of the Christ’s coming (Malachi 3:1) but also as Elijah (Malachi 3:23; cf. Matt 17:11-13//Mark 6:14-15). In fact, John is in Elijah’s spirit and power (Luke 1:17).

As the Christ’s forerunning messenger, in the spirit and power of Elijah, John the Baptist announces the imminence of Christ’s Kingdom (Matthew 3:2) and calls for repentance to make the straight and smooth way of the Christ’s coming, as the voice crying out in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3; Luke 3:4). This preparatory ministry for the coming of Christ and his Kingdom is also to close divisions among people (Malachi 3:24; Luke 1:17). So, John preached for conversion and baptized those who were with contrition to prepare them for the coming of the Christ, while rebuking who do not listen to him and respond to his message (Luke 3:3-16a). Then, he humbly makes it clear that he is not the Christ and the Christ will come to bring the baptism of fire, namely, his judgement (Luke 3:16b-17). This is also prophesized by Malachi (Malachi 3:2-3,23b, 24b) to ensure that we are pleasing to God for our purity (i.e. Malachi 3:3-4).

This means that John the Baptist prepares people not only for the Christ’s imminent coming to begin his public ministry but for his return to judge at the end of the age (Revelation 20:11-15; 2 Timothy 4:1; cf. Romans 14:10). This is figuratively prophesized by Malachi, describing Christ’s return to the Temple (Malachi 3:1).

The Gospel Reading (Luke 1:57-66) describes the birth of John the Baptist and how John’s parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah, as well as, the neighbors, responded to his birth. 

They certainly rejoiced over the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:58; cf. 14). But, they also recognized God’s hand was with John and wondered what he would become, finding his birth was not a usual one (Luke 1:65-66). In fact, Zechariah already knew that his son, John, was predestined to serve God as a Nazirite before his birth, in order to prepare for the coming of Christ, as told by the Archangel Gabriel (Luke 1:15-17).  Zechariah’s foreknowledge about John’s special purpose for the salvation is reflected in his canticle, which is known as “Benedictus” (Luke 1:68-79), which is read in the Gospel Reading of December 24 (Luke 1:67-79).

John the Baptist was born for the pre-salvation work - to preheat the "salvation oven" for Christ to come to start the salvific ministry.

It is December 23. It means that God’s salvation “oven” is getting hot enough for Christ to come very soon. 

We Prepare Ourselves to be "Bethlehem-Ephrathaha" for Christ to Be Carried in Us and to Come through Us - Fourth Sunday of Advent, Cycle C

Right after giving birth to Benjamin, Rachel died (Genesis 35:16-20). It was near Bethlehem-Ephrathah (Genesis 35:19). Later, this location was found in the land of the tribe of Judah (i.e. Joshua 15:1-12). 

Judah was a strong man. So, Jacob blessed him as a cub of lion (Genesis 49:9). And this prophetic blessing foresaw that Christ (Messiah), the lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), would hail from this land, figuratively saying that the scepter shall never depart from Judah or the mace from between his feet, until tribute comes to him, and he receives the people’s obedience (Genesis 49:10).

About 900 years later from Jacob’s prophetic indication of the Christ to be a descendant of Judah (i.e. Genesis 49:10), Micah prophesized the birth of Christ in Bethlehem-Ephrathah for the restoration of the Davidic kingdom (Micah 4:1-5:8). The First Reading of the Furth Sunday of Advent, Cycle C, Micah 5:1-4a, is drawn from this. 

Thus God spoke through Micah:

But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathaha least among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from of old, from ancient times. Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, then the rest of his kindred shall return to the children of Israel. He shall take his place as shepherd by the strength of the Lord, by the majestic name of the Lord, his God; And they shall dwell securely, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth: he shall be peace (Micah 5:1-4a).

The prophecy of the Christ to emerge from Bethlehem-Ephrathaha of Judah (Micah 5:1, NABRE) was cited by the chief priests and the scribes when Herod the Great inquired them where the Christ (Messiah) was born, in response to the Magi’s question about the birth of the newborn king of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-6). And this was where Mary, the wife of Joseph, who drew the lineage of David, the lineage of Judah, a son of Jacob (Matthew 1:2-16), gave birth to Jesus (Luke 2:1-7), the incarnated Christ (Luke 1:35; John 1:1, 14), fulfilling this prophecy of Micah, pointed by Jacob (Genesis 49:9-10).

Though it was not a great city like Jerusalem, Bethlehem was a fitting place for the incarnated Christ to be born because it is the birth place of David, a son of Jesse, an Ephrathitea of Bethlehem (1 Samuel 17:12). This was why it was called the city of David (Luke 2:4). In Hebrew, Bethlehem means the house of bread, while Ephrathah, which is old name of Bethlehem, means abundance. Therefore, Bethlehem-Ephrathaha, gives an implication to the house of bread in abundance. In fact, the incarnated Christ, who was born of Mary in Bethlehem is the living bread of life in abundance (John 6:51; cf. John 10:10), and the manger where he was placed upon his birth (Luke 2:7) is a bread basket, which is known as ciborium. 

The above prophecy of Micah makes it clear that the Christ comes as the ruler of Israel, the king of the Jews. As he is from of old, from ancient times, Christ is of God and is God by virtue of the Trinity (Micah 5:1; i.e. Daniel 7:9, 13, 22; cf. John 1:1; 10:30, 38; 14:11). 

Though Judah was punished by God for its sin and resulted in destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the Babylonian exile (2 Chronicles 36:15-21), the birth of the king of the Jews in Bethlehem would prompt the restoration of the Davidic kingdom of the Jews and the return of those who had been scattered (Micah 5:2, NABRE). For us, this means that the incarnated Christ’s birth of Mary in Bethlehem shall initiate the redemption of the lost and the restoration of what has been damaged. 

The Christ is not only the Davidic King but also the Davidic Shepherd and the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14), with the divine strengths and the majestic name of the Lord, Yahweh, to secure us in his peace (Micah 5:3-4, NABARE; cf. Psalm 23:1-6; John 14:27; cf. Psalm 122:1-9; Isaiah 9:6).

Bethlehem-Ephrathaha can be a sad reminder of Rachel’s death (Genesis 35:16-20). But it is where God brings the good news to let His Son, the Christ, be born of Mary to save us from the damnation and to redeem us from the domain of Satan, Eventually, the Christ shepherds us, his redeemed sheep, to his eternal sheep fold, his Kingdom in New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-22:5). Where Rachel died upon giving birth to Benjamin, Mary gives birth to the incarnated Christ, Jesus, the Davidic King and the Good Shepherd. 

The Gospel Reading (Luke 1:39-45), which is also read on December 21, describes Mary’s visitation to her older cousin, Elizabeth. 

Delighted by Archangel Gabriel’s notification of Elizabeth’s pregnancy (Luke 1:36), Mary, being pregnant with the incarnated Christ (Luke 1:31-33, 35), rushed to see her (Luke 1:39). For a young woman to travel from Bethlehem to Judea was quite risky. The road was rather ragged, far from a smooth path and hilly. It demanded a lot of strengths to travel. Nevertheless, Mary traveled in haste, because of her love for Elizabeth. 

Upon Mary’s arrival at the house of Zachariah and Elizabeth, the son inside her womb, John the Baptist, leaped for joy, and then, Elizabeth recognized the presence of the incarnated Christ in Mary’s womb, with joy, because she was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41-43), saying:

Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled (Luke 1:42-45).

As she called Mary, “the mother of my Lord”(Luke 1:43), Elizabeth clearly recognized the son inside Mary’s body as the Christ (Messiah), whose coming had been prophesized for centuries, as in the First Reading (Micah 5:1-4). 

The above words are Elizabeth’s benediction on Mary for becoming the mother of the Christ and for believing the words of Gabriel. Elizabeth also expressed her gratitude to Mary for coming all the way not only to visit her but also to bring the Christ to her and her son, John the Baptist.

What a joyful encounter between the mother of the incarnated Christ and the mother of the Christ’s forerunner! And what a delightful encounter between the Christ and his forerunner though they were still in their mothers’ wombs respectively! 

This set everything ready for Elizabeth to give birth to John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and for Mary to give birth to the incarnated Christ, as in the prophecy of Micah, as implied in Jacob’s prophetic blessing on Judah. 

In the Second Reading (Hebrews 10:5-10), we see what Christ the Davidic Shepherd King is to accomplish, upon his birth, to redeem the lost and to restore what has been damaged. It is to replace the first covenant, which has been made meaningless to God by our sins and superficial faith, with the new covenant. As this requires his blood (i.e. Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:15-28; cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34), the Christ is coming to offer himself as the ultimate sacrifice (holocaust) sin offering (i.e. Leviticus 4:27-35; 16:11-14). And this is also how the incarnated Christ fulfill God’s will as the High Priest, whose sacrifice is once for all (Hebrews 7:27), as it is the perfect sacrifice to be offered (i.e. Hebrews 9:11-28).

Christ is coming and now so near to us, though he is not visible to our eyes yet. But, if you are already filled with the Holy Spirit, then, you certainly recognize his presence, as Elizabeth and John the Baptist in her womb did. And he is coming to us by fulfilling Micah’s prophecy to be born of Mary in Bethlehem, where Rachel died upon giving birth to Benjamin, as the Davidic Shepherd King,  as well as, the Living Bread of Life, to redeem us from the world of sins to his fold, his Kingdom, restoring what has been damaged. But for this to take effect, he has to offer himself as the perfect sacrifice. And through this, the new covenant is established for our eternal life. 

According to Micah's prophecy, the Christ will come first in Bethlehem-Ephrathaha. Now, are we prepared to be Bethlehem-Ephrathaha, the house of bread in abundance, for him to come through us ? If so, we may already receive him in us so that we can already carry him in us and bring him to each other, as Mary did to Elizabeth and John the Baptist. 

Against Ahaz's Refusal of God, the Good News of the Virgin Bearing the Incarnated Christ Comes - December 20

The First Reading (Isaiah 7:10-14) for Advent means that this narrative contains the prophecy of the incarnated Christ’s virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), though some Jewish and Protestant biblical scholars disagree. But the context of this prophecy of the incarnated Christ’s virgin birth. 

Through Isaiah, God invited Ahaz, king of Judah, to ask him to ask Him an extraordinary sign (Isaiah 7:11). It was to help Ahaz believe in Him and trust His providence, understanding Ahaz’s difficult situation in dealing with a threat from the coalition of Aram (Syria) and Ephraim (Israel), for he was fear-stricken (Isaiah 7:1-9).

God assured that Judah’s sovereignty would not be destroyed and wanted Ahaz to believe it. To ascertain this further, God called him to ask for a greater sign. 

But Ahaz refused, making an excuse, saying that he would not tempt (test) Him (Isaiah 7:12).

At first, this response of Ahaz may make him “faithful”, for it is in the Trah that teaches us not to put God to the test (Deuteronomy 6:16). But it was nothing but Ahaz’s rejection of God. Though he was a descendant of David, Ahaz turned himself and Judah against and away from God (2 Kings 16:1-18). It was out of his pride pitted against God. 

In response to Ahaz’ rejection, God said through Isaiah:

Listen, house of David! Is it not enough that you weary human beings? Must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him Emmanuel. Curds and honey he will eat so that he may learn to reject evil and choose good; for before the child learns to reject evil and choose good, the land of those two kings whom you dread shall be deserted. The Lord shall bring upon you and your people and your father’s house such days as have not come since Ephraim seceded from Judah (Isaiah 7:13-17).

Even though Ahaz was very defiant to Him, God still saw him Davidic. He did not cut this sinful king of Judah out of the Davidic lineage. And he prophesized that God Himself would send a sign, through which the young woman (הָעַלְמָ֗ה /haalmah) would bear a son to be named “Emmanuel” (v.14). 

There have been various interpretations of this verse about the woman bearing a son to be named Emmanuel. In the original Hebrew text, the word used for “woman”(NABRE) is עַלְמָה/almah, and this word can be translated as “a maiden” , as well as, “a virgin”. And in the verse, it is “the” woman or “the” virgin (הָעַלְמָ֗ה /haalmah), suggesting the specific virgin or maiden. 

The Catholic interpretation is, of course, this הָעַלְמָ֗ה /haalmah (the virgin) is Mary. In fact, it was Archangel Gabriel to have made it clear to Joseph, saying:

Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us”(Matthew 1:20-23).

Matthew wrote in Greek, “ἡ παρθένος”(he Parthenos)(Matthew 1:23), which is translated as “the virgin”(or the maiden), to correspond to הָעַלְמָ֗ה /haalmah (the virgin)(Isaiah 7:14).

Arguing that הָעַלְמָ֗ה /haalmah (the virgin)(Isaiah 7:14) is not Mary but someone else means to deny Gabriel’s statement to Joseph. 

The son conceived in the womb of the virgin is named Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. And this counter Ahaz, who rejected God for Assyria and pagan idols. But, it is about Mary’s Son, who is Theos-Logos incarnated in the human flesh, by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35), to dwell among us (John 1:1, 14), namely, Jesus Christ, to be with us alwa15-16ys until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). 

Upon his birth from the virgin, he will grow healthy by eating well and grow up as a faithful man, fighting evil, and Syria (Aram) and Israel (Ephraim) will be no longer a threat to Judah by the time he grows up (Isaiah 7:15-17). 

In a way, the son born of the woman can be interpreted as Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, who was courageous enough to cut Judah’s vassal relation to Assyria and brought Judah back to God (2 Chronicles 29:1–32:33). Because Hezekiah, another Davidic king of Judah brought Judah back on the right path with God, he points to Christ the Davidic King to consummate the good work done by Hezekiah. Of course, the incarnated Christ grew in strength and wisdom (Luke 2:40; Isaiah 7:15a) and fought evil (i.e. Colossians 2:15; cf. Revelation 19:11-21; 20:10), fulfilling Genesis 3:15.

The Gospel Reading (Luke 1:26-38) describes how exactly God’s sign of making the virgin bear a son to be named Emmanuel was fulfilled at the time of Annunciation. 

The fact that this prophecy of Mary the perpetual virgin to bear the Son of God in Isaiah 7:14 came against Ahaz’ refusal of God and His invitation affirms that our God makes good out of evil.  Mary's fiat (Luke 1:38) was a strong blow to the evil of Ahaz, and more were made by her Son.

The below is a bit more about this evil king of Judah, Ahaz, against whom God promised a sign of Christ. 

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Ahaz was one of egregiously sinful kings of Judah (southern kingdom), like kings of Israel (northern kingdom), for turning Judah away from God, as he turned the Davidic kingdom (Judah) into a nation of idolatry and child sacrifice for pagan deities (2 Kings 16:1-4; 2 Chronicles 28:1-4). Then, God unleashed the Syro-Ephraimite coalition force (the coalition of Syria (Aram) and Ephraim (Israel, the northern kingdom), to attack Judah, to punish Ahaz for his grievous sin (2 Chronicles 28:5-8, 9). This is also known as the Syro-Ephraimite War (735 BC). However, because of Oded’s prophesize against Ephraim’s intent to enslave the captives of Judah as a further sin against God, the captives were sent back (2 Chronicles 28:9-15). 

Having managed to survive the Syro-Ephraimite War, Ahaz regarded Aram (Syria) and Israel (Ephraim) a great threat to Judah. So he sought a protection from Assyria (2 Chronicles 28:16), against which Syria and Ephraim formed a coalition. 

In fact, this political move to enter the Assyrian arms umbrella for Judah’s national security meant Judah to become Assyria’s vassal state. In order to keep up with Assyria’s demand for tributes, Ahaz had to plunder the Temple’s treasures (2 Chronicles 28:19-21). Ahaz’s betrayed God further more by turning his free will against God in order to please Assyria in the hope of protection of Judah under Assyria’s security umbrella (2 Chronicles 28:19, 22), rather than listening to God and seeking His protection. 

Ahaz really provoked God’s anger by turning the Davidic kingdom, Judah, further away from Him, shutting down the Temple, in order to promote idolatry practice to please pagan deities (2 Chronicles 28:23-25).

Two Distinct Nazirites Associated with the Way of Christ's Coming: Samson and John the Baptist - December 20

The First Reading of December 19 is Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a. This is about the birth of Samson. The Gospel Reading is Luke 1:5-25, and it is about the birth of John the Baptist. These readings describe that God had predetermined both Samson and John to be Nazirites. It means that they were totally consecrated to God. In the cases of Samson and John the Baptist, their Nazirite status was not voluntary but set by God before their births. 

These readings also reveal that both Samson and John were “miracle children” because both of their mothers had been barren. But God made the wife of Manoah and the wife of Zechariah conceive their sons for specific mission for Him. Therefore, Samson and John were not simply “miracle children” to delight their parents. Rather, these men were born to be with distinction as Nazirite for their specific missions to fulfill God’s salvific will for us. 

In Samson’s case, it was to let him serve as a judge of Israel to prevent the Philistines from overpowering Israel. For this, Samson was blessed with astonishing strengths to defeat Philistines (Judges 15:1-20). 

This makes Samson a precursor to David, who defeated the Philistines and redeemed the Ark of the Covenant from their possession (2 Samuel 5:17-6:23). Because Christ hailed from the Davidic lineage (Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 3:8; Matthew 1:1-16), Samson’s victory over the Philistines points to the victorious Christ the King, who is the branch of David (Jeremiah 23:5), the stump of David’s father, Jesse (Isaiah 11:1).

As the First Reading of December 17 (Genesis 49:2, 8-10) and the Gospel Reading (Matthew 1:1-17) remind us, Christ draws the lineage of Judah, out of the twelve sons of Jacob. And David is also on this lineage. Because of his lineage of Judah (Matthew 1:3-16), whom Jacob blessed as lion’s cub (Genesis 49:9), Christ is the lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). However, Judah was far from being perfect as he had his share of sins (i.e. Genesis 37:23-28; 38:1-30). Nevertheless, God let this sinful son of Jacob to be an ancestor of the incarnated Christ. 

Likewise, Samson did not please God for marrying to a Philistine woman (Judges 14:1-20). And he was fool to fall in love with Deliah, resulting in losing his God-blessed strengths (Judges 16:1-22). However, God made this sinful man to serve Him, as to make way for David to defeat the Philistines. 

Again, we reflect on John the Baptist in the First Reading (Luke 1:5-25), not only that he was the forerunner of Christ to come but also that he was also a Nazirite as Samson was. By reading the announcements of these Nazirites’ births, we can see how the Holy Spirit worked to prepare these men to serve God.

An unnamed angel of the Lord said to the wife of Manoah:

You will conceive and bear a son. So drink no wine or beer, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be a Nazirite for God from the womb, until the day of his death (Judges 13:7).

And the Holy Spirit stirred Samson as he was born (Judges 13:24-25).

Archangel Gabriel said to Zechariah, a priest of the division of Abijah, a son of Aaron: 

Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord (Luke 1:13-17).

The Nazirites are considered to be holy to the Lord. They distinguished themselves to be so by consecrating themselves totally. However, in Samson’s case and John the Baptist’s case, they were already consecrated to the Lord while they were still in their mothers’ wombs. As Nazirites, their lives were regulated according to Numbers 6:1-21. 

Though both Samson and John the Baptist were Nazirites, the former took pride in God’s blessing and fell because of this (Judges 13:1-16:31), while the latter was humble and kept his Nazirite integrity until his death (John 1:27; Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:33). 

Looking at the way of the Christ to come, we also see a fallen Nazirite, like Samson, who paved the way for David’s victory over the Philistine, and an exemplary Nazirite, John the Baptist, who heralded Christ, urging people to prepare the way of Christ’s coming by repenting (e.g. Matthew 3:1-12), in the spirit of Elijah (Luke 1:17), who confronted the sin of Ahab, a corrupt king of Israel, to bring God back (1 Kings 18:1-46). 

These two Nazirites, Samson, and John the Baptist, contributed in their unique ways, to the way of the Christ’s coming.