BAPTISM OF THE LORD JESUS YEAR B

BE PROUD TO BE A CATHOLIC

Last October 2014, I attended the National Conference for Youth Ministers (NCYM) at Kalibo, Aklan. During the break, I saw printed t-shirts for sale that captures my attention. The print says: “I am proud to be a Catholic”. Without hesitation, I immediate bought two of them. “I am proud to be a catholic” these words are amazing. I am catholic since birth and I am happy of my religion.

Today, we celebrate the feast of the baptism of the Lord. In today’s celebration, we end the Christmas season and begin the 1^st Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our gospel today presents the baptism of the Lord Jesus by John the Baptist at the Jordan River. Jesus in his baptism was being honored by the Father in heaven by the working of the Holy Spirit and hearing his voice.

As baptized catholic, are we also honored by the gift we have received in baptism?  Are we proud to be a catholic by virtue of what we are now?  What it means, when saying, “being proud”? Are you acting as catholic in words and in actions?

My dear friends,  there are many catholic today who doesn’t even make the sign of the cross when they ate at the public places, like for example in a restaurant. Di ba mag-ampo man daan ang catholic before taking their meal?  Are you doing this or not? If you are doing it then, that is what I mean by the words, “I am proud to be a catholic”.

Jesus, in his baptism receives the Holy Spirit and in our baptism we also received the Holy Spirit. If the baptism of Christ is the beginning of his mission, in our baptism also, we begin the mission given to us by the Lord. In baptism we receive the kingly mission, prophetic mission, priestly mission of Christ. All we have to do is to show it to the whole world that we are really a baptized catholic Christians.

Today, we are challenged to do the mission of Christ entrusted to us by the church. This may mean to learn from our own faith so that we will not be tempted to embrace another one. Work for our faith so that other people may see us as real catholic Christians.

Do the kingly mission by helping other people; do the prophetic mission by preaching and witnessing the truth and do the priestly mission by being prayerful.

Don’t be afraid and don’t be ashamed of what you have received from God. Show it! Learned from it! And believe in it! Be proud to be a catholic!

But the questions always remains, are you proud to be a catholic?