Y’all be Good (pt. 2)
My parents raised 3 boys. I was the oldest and
the biggest, although my two brothers were a whole lot meaner. As we grew up,
there came a time when we out grew the punishment of a child. My father would
tell us, “Y’all boys be good and be holy Christian men.”
I remembered that this week when my brother and
sister-in-law wish me a happy birthday. They told me about someone who had met me
at work.
Normally, I work with construction companies. In
fact, the morning I met this person, I had been at a construction site and was
dressed in khakis, muddy work boots, and a plaid shirt. But, I was called to a
rush meeting with the administrative staff of an aging services company. They
usually see people in suits.
I showed up to an office full of ladies. They
were told a consultant was coming. They didn’t know what to expect; but, it
sure wasn’t me. It was said “I filled the doorway and then I filled the
office.” To them, some man who looks like he just climbed off a bulldozer shows
up to tell them how to run a nursing home. I was intimidating!
But my sister-in-law was told that I was nice,
encouraging, and knowledgeable. It was a nice surprise to them that I knew
about the issues they were having and could offer solutions for them. I was
polite and respectful and never made them feel uncomfortable or talked down to
them. She said many other nice things about me.
I remembered my daddy’s words, “Y’all be good
and be holy Christian men.”
Do you ever wonder how people see you? Do
you live the gospel in your public life? Do others see Jesus in you?
We celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, the beginning
of his public life and ministry. What did people see in his public life in
the time when people were expecting the messiah?
And “The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in
their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming.”
John was preaching in the wilderness and
baptizing people for repentance of sins. John baptized them in the Jordan. He dunked them to wash away their sins.
People saw this wild looking man, shouting for
change, to be good, and to be holy. People thought surely this is the one to
come. John’s answer, “Y’all be good. Y’all be holy; because, I’m not the
messiah.”
Yet, people kept coming for baptism. They had
sinned. They needed God’s help. But there was one in the crowd who knew
the truth. The one in the crowd was Jesus.
John baptized Jesus.
Jesus didn’t need baptizing. He didn’t need to
be told to be good and to be holy. He was without sin. And, a voice came from
heaven, “You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”
The voice of God proclaims Jesus “my beloved son.”
But doesn’t God love us all? Doesn’t God in his
perfect way love us all the same whether we are saint or sinner, good or bad,
angel or devil, king or pauper? I am going to answer that “Yes.” Jesus tells
that God’s love is unmerited and unconditional. In Romans, Paul said that our
lack of faithfulness to God does not cancel God's faithfulness to us. No matter
what we do God loves us; and, nothing can ever stop God from loving us.
Then why do we need to be baptized, why do we
need to be good, to be holy, if God loves us all the same shouldn’t we all be
promised heaven. I am going to answer that “No.” It’s about how we love God in return.
Our love for God is apparent by the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire and power Jesus brings.
To be good and to be holy is when you give the LORD glory and praise; give the LORD
the glory due his name; and adore the LORD in holy attire. (Ps
29) Clothe yourself in
goodness and holiness. The good and holy of John’s repentance; holy attire he prepared
for the people through baptism. The holy attire “Y’all be good;
Y’all be holy.”
Anyone truly living their baptism lives in the
goodness and holiness that faith and the love of Jesus asks. Being good and
being holy is the response to God’s love and the expression of the love of God in
mercy and dignity for others.
A voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved
Son…” But, it was easy for
Jesus; He was the beloved Son of God and I am a sinner.
God didn’t promise easy for Jesus or for us. By
coming to baptism, Jesus showed his unity with us. He took our sinfulness
though he never sinned. He was tempted and we’re tempted. Jesus suffered and we
suffer. Jesus was persecuted; we are too. Jesus was crucified for our sins. God
didn’t promise easy for Jesus or for us.
Jesus gives us the secret of being good and
being holy, “After all the
people and Jesus had been baptized; He was praying.” Jesus prayed, constantly. He lived those prayers
doing good and so should we.
Jesus baptism was the beginning of his public
life and ministry. Compare our public life to Jesus’ public life. Compare our Church
ministry to Jesus’ ministry. Look at ourselves. Clothe yourself in holy attire.
Live your baptism; Love others like Jesus showed us.
Share the Gospel, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” Spend some special time with God: pray, go to
adoration, attend mass, and come to the Lord in the Eucharist. Give God a
special place in your heart. Through baptism, God has settled upon you as “one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put
my spirit.”
I have a new way I am going to end by homilies.
I hope you never get tired of it. “Y’all be good, be Holy, and
always preach the Gospel.” Amen.
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