Mission in tandem

The story is told about two men riding tandem on a bicycle made for two, who were panting and perspiring when they finally reached the top of the hill. “That was a stiff climb,” said the first man. “It certainly was,” replied the second man. “And if I hadn’t kept the brake on, we would have slid backward.”

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Today is the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord. In today’s Gospel (Matthew 3:13-17), we hear of the inspiring tandem of Jesus and His cousin, John, who baptized Him in the Jordan River. Nobody applied the brakes on anyone. Theirs was teamwork and partnership all the way, and in all ways, for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

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It is the Kingdom of God that suffers if we do not set aside our division and rivalries. We are a team. There are no greater gods or superstars among us. We all are equally called to work humbly in the vineyard of the Lord.

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Humility is the key to harmony and unity. Jesus humbled Himself to be baptized by John, who, in turn, humbly prevented Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?” In the end, both of them humbly obeyed God’s will.

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What is, who is pleasing to God? More than our talents, achievements, and efforts, it is our humble obedience that pleases Him. Great works are great, but if done without humble obedience, they are empty, vain, and self-serving.

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Take note that our baptism is about membership and mission. By virtue of our baptism, we become children of God and members of the Church. But along with this privilege is a mission. We who have been anointed with the oil of gladness are sent to bring the good news to the poor. Gladness and good news are a part of our identity, and must be the trademark of whatever ministry or mission we are called to do. Be joyful and be a good news!

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Just precisely what or who is a Christian? His Eminence, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, in his homily at the Quirino Grandstand last Jan. 9, 2014, mentioned prayer, obedience, and witnessing as the three marks of the true devotee of the Black Nazarene, or a true Christian for that matter. Let us check if we have these marks, and if we are concretely living them out.

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Prayer is remembering God, and coming into His presence anytime, anywhere. How many times do you remember God in your ordinary day? How often do you stop awhile to be aware of His presence, thank Him, or ask for His help and mercy? When prayer has ceased to be just an obligation or duty, and when prayer is not just asking but also giving Him praise and glory, then prayer has become a joy and a reality.

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Obedience. “He must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3:30). A true Christian is one who obeys God’s plans and commands. His vision is our vision; His mission is our mission. In other words, our personal and worldly agenda must be integrated into His agenda. When we look at our country today, do we see people who are busy with God’s agenda?

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Witnessing. As Christians, we are supposed to become witnesses not in the sense of being spectators or observers but in the sense of being persons who attest to and vouch for the reality of God’s love in their lives. Yes, a Christian is a certified true copy of Christ. The truth of the matter is that many of us are “nothing but second-rate, trying-hard copycats” when it comes to our faith.

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“Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.” A lot of our problems can be solved or avoided if we take the road of humility. But it is a road less traveled precisely because we regard it as the road for losers. It is not. With humility, one cannot lose, or be lost. And please remember, even the Lord came to John in humility to be baptized by him.

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Today, let us ask ourselves: Am I living a life that is pleasing to God? We spend a lot of time thinking of what people say about us. The bottom line is that we should just do and give our very best, and leave to God the rest. We cannot, we should not, be too concerned about pleasing everyone. Try visiting a grave or a cemetery. There, a lot of our concerns in life just fall into place. Indeed, what will really matter when we ourselves will be there then?

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, remind us that our mission is always done in tandem with You, and with one another. Amen.

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