Homilies

Baptism can seem odd at first glance. We dress a baby in a white gown, pour water on their head, and take pictures while a community looks on. It is a strange ritual in a world where water flows freely from faucets, and bathing is a daily routine. For many of us, water is mundane, unremarkable. But in the ancient world, water was precious—an essential yet unpredictable gift of life. It was carried laboriously, rationed carefully, and only occasionally used for bathing. For people of that time, being immersed in water, especially as an act of worship, symbolized something extraordinary: God’s abundant love poured out in excess.

The story of the Epiphany is almost ironic. A great king, Herod, with the full backing of the Roman Empire, is terrified of a child—a newborn baby born in humble circumstances to a young girl and her understandably skeptical husband. Yet, this reaction fits the ancient world. Kings often had to fear even the young. They never knew when someone might rally the people and overthrow them, especially among the Jews, who were actively awaiting a messiah. To protect their power, rulers would resort to ruthless measures, even murder. So, while Herod’s fear may seem absurd, it is what we might expect from that culture and time.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the supreme model for the Church and for every believer. Yet, it is unfortunate that we so often misunderstand and mischaracterize her. For far too long, Mary has been seen as merely demure and maidenly, a passive vessel who carried God rather than an active participant in the drama of salvation.

But that is not the Mary of Nazareth we encounter in scripture. A passive vessel is not the young woman who said “yes” to God. The Mary of the Gospels is the Mother of God, the model of Christian faith, and the greatest of Jesus’ disciples. God did not love her and bestow his abundant grace upon her because she was quiet and submissive. He chose her as his very mother because she was courageous. When faced with an incomprehensible mystery, she said “yes.” Contrast this with the many men in scripture who hesitated or tried to avoid God’s call. Elijah hid his face. 1 Kings 19:13 Jeremiah said, “I am too young.” Jer 1:6 Moses said, “I think you are looking for my brother.” See Exod 4:10-16 But Mary stared directly into the heart of the mystery, and with courage and faith, she said “yes.” Yes, she would give birth to the world’s salvation. Yes, she would stand by the cross and watch her only child die so that we all might live.