“With you I am well pleased”

This is the voice from the heavens when Jesus was baptized by John. What an affirmation of the kind of Son Jesus is to the Father. In His baptism, Jesus inaugurates His mission to build God’s kingdom of peace, joy, compassion, mercy, forgiveness and love.

By virtue of our baptism, we also share in the threefold mission of Jesus – worshipping, teaching and serving. Among the 900,000 Catholics in Davao, how many truly worship God not only on Sunday’s Holy Mass but in deed? Among families, how many religiously teach their children not only in words but witnessing the faith in work, business or politics? Among our organizations whether in church, government and NGO’s, how many really are selfless in their effort to alleviate the plight of the poor and the needy?

The baptism of Jesus reminds us of our partaking in the mission to build a world embraced by the values of the kingdom. Claiming to be a Christian nation makes us accountable to become worshippers in deed, witnesses of the faith and servants of the poor and the needy. May we hear our heavenly Father say: “With you I am well pleased”.