taking up responsibility - baptism of the Lord A

Today is the Baptism of the Lord.  This is not just his baptism at the river Jordan by John the Baptist.  This is also the inauguration of his mission.  Jesus begins his mission.  From this time on he begins his preaching ministry going from one town to the other.  From this time on Jesus begins his healing ministry, healing the sick, curing illnesses and diseases, and driving out evil spirits from persons.  From this time on Jesus sets out to do what he was sent for, what he was commissioned for, to fulfill his purpose, to do his mission.

This day too marks his leave taking from his humble home in Nazareth.  This day marks that part in his life when he has to leave not just Nazareth his home but above all his family most especially his mother. From this time on instead of being cared for by family and his mother, he is to take care of his disciples, worrying for their well-being and health, asking and perhaps begging for their food and needs.

Of course this did not just happen all at once, no.  In the gospel when Jesus was twelve years old, like our grade seven now, he also ventured beyond the watchful eye of his parents, for a short time nagpalayo sia sa pagbantay sang iya ginikanan, and he asserted his independence and his sense of mission.  “How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?”  So this leave taking was not immediate and abrupt.  It was made little by little as he advanced in years.  Wala na may nagabantay sa iya, amat-amat nga sia na ang nagahimo sing panindugan, amay-amat man nga nagaklaro sa iya kon ano ang iya himuon, ano ang iya misyon, wala niya gintalikdan ang iya mga responsabilidad.  The baptism of Jesus was the definitive time nga nagsugod na ang iya misyon.  Pero antes sini there was already ang amat-amat nga pagtalikod sa panimalay, amat-amat nga pag-ako sang katungdanan, amat-amat nga pagsakripisyo para sa iya misyon.

Indi ka kasiling kon magpari ako mangin mapisan na ako.  Isiling ko na nga daan sa imo suno sa eksperyensia ko ang tamad nga seminarista matamad man nga pari – cross my heart tuod gid na ya.  Ang mapisan nga seminarista, will also turn out nga mapisan nga pari.   Ano abi ang assurance mo nga indi ka na magpalatulog kon magpari ka, nga sang seminarista ka pa lang indi ka kapabilin nga bugtaw ahaw benediction lang.  Sin-o abi papatihon mo nga indi mo pag-eskapohan ang imo reponsabilidad sa parokya kon pari ka na nga ahaw housecleaning sa seminaryo damo ka lang rason ngaa indi ka mag-house cleaning, ukon ahaw dishwashing eskapo ka na.

Ano ang pagsiling mo nga mapari ka kag kada adlaw magamisa ka, kay sang seminarista ka pa lang wala ka na nagasimba.  Na amo na Jim Villaruel ang ako shabat sa imo pamangkot.  Mabal-an mo nga mapari ka gid man siguro kon naga-interes ka na nga daan sa mga buluhaton sang mga pari.  Kag dugangan ko nga mabal-an mo man kon mangin ano ka nga sahi sang pari pila ka adlaw dira sa kon ano ka nga sahi sang seminarista subong more or less, wala ako nagasiling exactly amo gid but more or less.

Jesus can make a definitive leave taking in his baptism at the river Jordan because even as young as twelve years old in the temple he already began practicing what he intended to do in the future.