We’ve just read of the first appearance of Jesus in St. John’s Gospel. I wonder if you’ve noticed how wonderfully crafted St. John’s narrative here is? The Fathers of the Church called St. John "The Theologian". We see why especially in his opening lines, where, beyond all other New Testament writers, he seems to gaze directly into the heart of God. John speaks there of the Logos, the Word who was with God, and who was God. Through this Word all things were made. Yet also: this Word became flesh.
Homily for the 8 o’clock Mass, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Year “A”
At Christmas we celebrated how God in Christ became flesh, in order to identify with us in our humanity. He emptied himself, says St. Paul, being made in the likeness of men (cf. Phil 2:7). Today we see how he went further. He humbled himself so far as to identify with us even in our sinfulness, though…