Sunday Gospel Comment
Alberic Jacovone OSB
YEAR C BAPTISM OF THE LORD Is 42,1-6.6-7; Act 10,34-38; Lk 3,15-16.21-22 XP = Christened with Holy Spirit
Luke’s Gospel, which we are reading in 2004, gives importance to the
Holy Spirit in our life. Today, we are invited to be full of expectancy as were
the people of the Gospel, because ‘the Christ, that is ‘the Messiah’,
meaning ‘the One Anointed with the Holy Spirit) will baptize (=immerse) us in
the Holy Spirit (=Ruach HaKodesh) & in ‘fire’= zeal. Jesus himself -when he was baptized (immersed in the Jordan
River)- was invested with the Holy Spirit; (Luke says: the Holy Spirit came down
on him!) And then, filled as he was with the Holy Spirit, he moved with power
into his mission, led by the Holy Spirit The word ‘Christ’
or XR as is symbolically rendered with the super-imposition of its first
two letters, in capital letters of the Greek alphabet, “Chi & Rho” is
rich in meaning; and that same richness of meaning and mission is invested on
all words that derive from The word ‘Christos: Christian
- Christening (Cresima) - Christen - Chrysm - Christianity.
Christos,
a word about perfume & aroma. The Greek word ‘Christos’ gives meaning and
energy to a host of key words in our faith. It comes from the Greek verb Chrio
(=to anoint with perfume), which in turn is linked with the anointing with
the Holy Spirit, God’s perfume. From it derive several other words: Chrysm
(=perfumed ointment); To Chrysten and
Chrystening (in Italian ‘Cresima’)
(= to anoint and anointing with Christ’s perfume, which is the Holy Spirit);
Chrysmation (=the action of rubbing the Holy Spirit’s perfume on us, which
we also call ‘Confirmation). The very word Christ
in Greek Christos is past participle
of the Greek verb Chrio and it means
the One who has been anointed and
perfumed with God’s Holy Spirit and now radiates God himself. In turn then,
the word Christian becomes a person
who like Christ radiates God’s Holy Spirit; the word Christianity is the world-wide Church, the whole family of believers
who radiate God’s Holy Spirit. And from these come Christianism,
Christianize, Christology, Chriostological... There is even a city called Christiania, also called Oslo. Out of all this we can understand what the name Kristy means, one who radiates Christ. All these words have
something special in common: not so much the idea that oil and anointing with
oil, makes things go smooth and takes away attrition, but much more importantly
they contain wonderment, empowerment and well-being, which is created and
generated, as the aroma and ‘sweet smell’ of Christ’s Holy Spirit is
spread on us and then it radiates -as perfume- from within. Christ
is a transliteration of Messiah (Hebrew Mashiach). The cultic action of anointing and perfuming Kings
& Pharahos, Priests & Prophets is well known in Old Testament times and
indeed in all ancient cultures. The Pharahos in Egypt used it for their
enthronement, and assumed the role of Son of God by adoption. In Old Testament
times, kings prophets and priests to signify their God-given commission. And
slowly came also the longing and the promise by the prophets that one day
God’s Holy Spirit (in Heberew: Ruach HaKodesh) would come and anoint the
perfect Christ, who would fulfil God’s promise, plan and kingdom, and indeed
invest and empower every believer with God’s wonderful Spirit. Challenge for us today: How does it resonate in us the fact that at
Baptism we are Christened with the Holy Spirit, invested & empowered with
it? Does our life-style make us live & act in a Christ-like way, as Christ
would, ‘in persona Christi’. ______________________________________ |
