Jeremiah 20:10-13; John 10:31-42
Today’s gospel reading takes us to one reality that is very seldom taken into account in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. While the focus of the readings during this time is the immediate preparation to the celebration of the Passion of Jesus, - which is obvious today in the tension between Jesus and the Pharisees, the Scribes and the Sadducees, - the detail John mentions in today’s gospel seems to bear a special significance and, plays as a reminder for us. John tells us that Jesus went back across the River Jordan to the place where John was baptizing before. This is very interesting! We know that at that time John had been already executed and there was nothing around there, but Jesus goes there towards the end of His earthly ministry. He goes back to the very spot where He was baptized, where He heard the voice of the Father, and where Has was confirmed in His mission.
This detail reveals to us the true meaning of what celebrate at Easter. While the focus is on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the new life that He gives us, Easter brings us back to the reality of our origin, namely our Baptism by and through which we were adopted as children of God and entrusted with a mission. Like Jesus, at Easter we go back to our Baptism, we renew our baptismal promises, we renew them and we revive our calling as disciples of Jesus. At Easter we go back to the time when we were “bathed” in Christ, anointed by the Father, clothed in Christ, and given a candle to light the way as we were commissioned to be disciples and messengers of Jesus Christ.
As sad as it is to know that we will be unable to renew our baptismal promises as one community and one family during Easter Vigil celebrations here due to the pandemic, we are invited to remember the mission we were entrusted with on earth, and which we have yet to fulfil. Easter is a time to restore it, to revive the truth that the meaning of our life is to testify to Jesus Christ, and that we are messengers of Jesus Christ in the world today.
Let us continue to pray for one another, for our parish family and for the world as we strive to courageously live the gospel.
Fr. Emery