You’re My Favorite | January 10, 2016

January 10, 2016

I used to think that the word favorite was reserved for one person at a time and now I know that love is bigger than that. The longest funeral I ever went to was for a man who had 11 surviving children. He was lovingly referred to by all as Pops. Back in the 70’s when I was a kid, at St. Pius X in Chula Vista, Pops and several of his children had an amazing music group that played at the 11:30 mass at my home parish. They sang in perfect harmony, they played all the instruments including the banjo, they did awesome folksy-blue grassy gospely hippy-style 70’s music that made you sing all day long, and sometimes on special occasions, they even dressed alike. We’re talking matching pastel colored ties and shirts for the guys and matching material for the women’s dresses. They were as cool as the Partridge Family and, in my opinion, so much cooler. Pops played the upright bass and he also sang bass and he had this cute little dance he would do as he played.  It was pure joy.  He had the kind of singing voice that made you feel things. It pierced your soul. His best song, by far, was “O, Holy Night”. He sang it every Christmas Eve and it was always the highlight for me because my family would sit in the balcony of the Church close enough to see stained glass windows vibrate when he hit that crescendo!!! Aside from his tremendous talent, the thing that impressed me the most about Pops was his hospitality. Before mass, he would walk up and down the isle and stop at every single row and to shake hands and greet every person in church. He would smile, look you in the eye, and say, “I’m so glad you’re here. Welcome to St. Pius.” And you know what, I believed him. I believed that he was glad that I, personally, was there. I remember thinking that I might even let him down if I didn’t make it one Sunday. As I grew up, through parish life, and drama ministry I became friends with Pops and his whole family and even dated one of his grandsons. Pops was diagnosed with an aggressive melanoma in his 80’s and he left us. The day he died, I called over to the house to offer my condolences and when his daughter answered the phone it sounded like a Mardi Gras parade on the other end. There was some serious partying going on. All I heard her yell was, “Daddy’s in Heaven, come on over, have a beer, and say goodbye!!” It was a real Irish wake!! I was surprised but not surprised because this family had always done everything with great joy, passion, and they were not typical at all. I went over immediately and there was Pops, dead in his hospital bed, in the middle of the living room, with ice packs on his eyes and a beer propped up in his hand! It was wild but glorious. My idea of death and life changed forever that day. His funeral was so long because somehow most of his 11 children wanted to get up and speak!! Oy Vey! One by one, as his children shared memories of their father, the sweetest revelation happened. Every night as Pops tucked each one of his children into bed, he would whisper in their ear, “You’re my favorite.” He continued to whisper this sentence in each one of their ears every night and when they grew up and moved out, he still whispered it every time he hugged them. Each one of his children grew up and spent their whole lives knowing that they were their father’s FAVORITE. And because it was a whisper, none of them ever spilled the beans to each other, they cherished their “secret”, their “sacred word”, their “tender moment”, with their father so much that they never used against another, they never wanted to let it go because it was theirs to keep, theirs to know, theirs to believe. As they all figured out that he said, “You’re my favorite” to each and every one of them, there was this epiphany that made its way through the room…………his love was bigger……….his love had no boundaries……..no limits……….no conditions. And all at once it seemed, each person at that funeral, made the connection that Pops loved his children the way the Father loves us. This epiphany was a total game changer in my life, it was palpable, it was intense, it was the whisper of the wind saying, “Jen, you’re my favorite” and I believed it with all my heart. I AM GOD’S favorite.

When you’re someone’s favorite, you act differently, right? You want to shine for them, you want to show off a bit, and you want to make them proud. Guess what? You’re his favorite.

This story sets us up nicely for today’s gospel: The Baptism of the LORD. You know the scene on the banks of the Jordan River; crowds of people had been coming for some time to be baptized by the wild and wonderful John the Baptist. He had something about him that made people speculate that he was the Messiah. John always denied those claims and essentially said, “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” I wonder if Jesus gave him a little knowing wink right before he got in the water. I wonder if John the Baptist felt like he would burst with this “secret” like when your best friend’s boyfriend is going to propose and you can’t say a word about it!! I wish I could have been there because I am quite sure that the crowds of people had no idea exactly what they were witnessing and that must have been thrilling for John the Baptist, but maybe also somewhat disappointing as well. Similar to watching people receive communion, it is amazing to witness people hold Christ in their hands and then become one with him, and it is disappointing when we have no idea what is truly happening.

Ancient Baptisms were pretty intense. First, you must be stripped down (humility), then you must get in the river (surrender), and third you must be held under the water for a significant amount of time, enough so you feel like death is near (death to self). The beginning of Jesus’ ministry sounds similar to the end of his ministry doesn’t it? I’m sure John had imagined this scene in his mind for a long time. Raise your hand if you are a daydreamer. I am, I am!!!!! Had John’s imagination painted a scene that was realistic or perhaps his imagination was overactive and theatrical like mine. I mean the first thing that comes to my mind is some sort of dramatic stair case coming from the sky like in Gone With The Wind or Titanic, and Jesus is dressed in some spectacularly white outfit, I don’t know where this came from, but like John Travolta in Stayin’ Alive, and the music kicks in either composed by Elton John or Harry Connick Jr., and the crowd looks up in awe as Jesus humbly walks down the majestic stairs where John is there to meet him at the bottom and they enter the river together, and the voice of God obviously played by Morgan Freeman majestically calls out, “Jesus, you’re my favorite,” and everyone in the crowd oohs and awes at the release of 7 white doves and they instantly know that the Messiah has come to save them. Isn’t that how you picture it?

Aside from Morgan Freeman’s voice, I’m sure my idea of Jesus’ baptism is probably somewhat off the mark, however, I don’t think for one second that it wasn’t as surreal and epic a moment for John the Baptist as I have described. Think about those times in your life that were turning points, ah ha moments, epiphanies, etc. and how they are forever imbedded in your mind and heart. This was John the Baptist’s pinnacle moment when his life reached its height and his purpose had been fulfilled. The voice did announce, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” And the dove did appear and John was in the know as to what was really happening, witnessing glory, transfiguration, and Messiah, and he leapt in the womb of the Jordan River that day!!

Friends, I have witnessed many baptisms and have never once heard Morgan Freeman’s voice, but don’t think for one second that God does not whisper into our ear at the moment of our baptism, “You’re my favorite.” Don’t think for one second that he does not whisper the same sentence every single day, “You’re my favorite.” Don’t think for one second that his love is not big enough to mean it, “You’re my favorite.” He said it out loud for all to hear at Jesus’ baptism and people still didn’t notice it. Today is a good day to sit in silence and really listen to the whispers of our soul and I pray that you will hear, know, and believe that you are his favorite. Since you are his favorite and I am his favorite, let’s act accordingly; shining his light, showing mercy on everyone, showing off that we belong to a God of unconditional love, and always acknowledging his great goodness.

You’re his favorite!!! Yay!!!

The Baptism of the Lord
Lectionary: 21

Reading 1 IS 42:1-4, 6-7

Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
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,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

Responsorial Psalm PS 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic. 
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Reading 2 

ACTS 10:34-38

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying: 
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites 
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, 
what has happened all over Judea, 
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached, 
how 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.”

Alleluia CF. MK 9:7

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or CF. LK 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
John said: One mightier than I is coming;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 3:15-16, 21-22

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.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

After all the people had been baptized 
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, 
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove. 
And a voice came from heaven, 
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”