The Beloved Servant: Our Identity and Mission

Voice over by Carol San San Lwin

Isa 42:1-4.6-7, Psalm: 28, Acts 10:34-38, Mt 3:13-17

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we stand at a beautiful threshold. The quiet wonder of the Christmas season gives way to the brilliant dawn of Christ’s public mission. In this moment—as Jesus steps into the waters of the Jordan—the heavens are torn open, and the deepest truths of who He is, and who we are called to be, are revealed.

The prophet Isaiah, centuries before, sang of a mysterious figure: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am well pleased.” This Servant of the Lord would be gentle—“a bruised reed he shall not break”—and steadfast, bringing forth justice not with shouting, but with quiet perseverance. His mission is universal: “I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement.” This is a mission of liberation and healing, rooted in a unique, beloved relationship with God.

In the Gospel, we witness the fulfillment of this prophecy. John the Baptist is understandably hesitant to baptize Jesus, but the Lord insists, “to fulfill all righteousness.” Why does the sinless one submit to a baptism of repentance? In this profound act of humility, Jesus fully immerses Himself in our human condition. He stands in solidarity with sinful humanity, not because He shares our guilt, but because He intends to take it upon Himself. As He rises from the water, the heavens open. The Spirit descends like a dove, and the voice of the Father thunders the words that define Jesus’ entire existence: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Here, the Trinity is unveiled. The Son is baptized, the Spirit descends, the Father speaks. And in this revelation, we discover the core of our own faith. Jesus is the beloved Servant. He is the eternal Son, the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, who will achieve our salvation not through domination, but through humble service, even to the point of death on a cross.

This truth is proclaimed by Peter in the house of Cornelius in our reading from Acts. Peter has just had his own vision, realizing that “God shows no partiality.” He declares the Good News: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” The baptism at the Jordan was the anointing, the divine commissioning of Jesus for this very work of healing and liberation.

But this feast is not only about Jesus. It is about us. For in our own Baptism, we were plunged into this same mystery. The Catechism teaches that Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and the Word, by which we are configured to Christ (CCC 1213). What happened to Jesus in a unique way happens to us by grace. The heavens are opened over us. The Holy Spirit is given to us. And the Father says to each of us, “You are my beloved child; with you I am well pleased.”

This is our fundamental, unshakable identity before anything else: a beloved son or daughter of God. From this identity flows our mission. We are anointed, like Christ, to continue His work as the “Servant” in the world. We are called to be a light to the nations, to bring the gentle justice of Christ to our families and workplaces, to unbind prisoners of fear, addiction, and loneliness, and to heal through acts of mercy.

St. Gregory of Nazianzus beautifully expressed this connection: “Today let us do honor to Christ’s baptism and celebrate this feast in holiness. Be cleansed entirely and profit by it abundantly. For today the Lord is baptized, that we may be sanctified.”

How, then, do we live this baptismal reality?

First, we must remember who we are. In moments of doubt, failure, or insignificance, recall the voice from heaven. Your worth is not based on your achievements, but on God’s eternal love for you.

Second, we must embrace our mission. We are anointed for service. Look for the “bruised reeds” around you—the fragile, the hurting. Approach them with Christ’s gentleness. Seek to bring someone out of the confinement of despair through your friendship and prayer.

Finally, we must return to the source. Our mission can only be sustained by the Spirit we received. This means a life of prayer, the sacraments, and fidelity to God’s Word.

Pope Francis reminds us, “Baptism is the door that allows Christ the Lord to dwell in us and us to dwell in Him.” Today, let us renew our baptismal promises with grateful hearts. Let us step forward from these waters, as Christ did, confident in the Father’s love and ready to bring His light to a world waiting in shadow. For we are His beloved servants, anointed and sent. Amen.

May God bless you all!