SERMON BY SAINT PROCLUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE FOR THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST
“Light of light, O Christ, you have appeared today”…
Christ manifested himself to the world, restoring it to chaos and splendor. He took on the sin of the world and defeated the enemy of the world. He sanctified the springs of water and illuminated the souls of men. He joined miracles to greater miracles.
Today, indeed, land and sea have shared in the Savior’s grace, and the whole world has been filled with joy; and today’s feast shows a surfeit of wonders over the previous feast.
But today, with the feast of the Theophanies, it’s the sea that rejoices, rejoicing that through the Jordan it has received the blessing that sanctifies it.
The previous feast showed us a poor infant who manifested our poverty. Today’s feast shows him in his perfection, suggesting that he is the perfect Being, born of the perfect Being. ~ Then, for the Magi, the King was clothed in the purple of his body. Today, at baptism, the One who is the Source is enveloped in the water of the river.
Come on, look at these incredible wonders: the Sun of Justice bathing in the Jordan, Fire immersed in water, God sanctified by a man!
Today, all creation bursts into praise and cries out: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is he who comes at all times, for this is not his first coming. ~
And who is he? Tell us clearly, blessed David: God, the Lord, enlightens us. The prophet David is not the only one to tell us this; the Apostle Paul adds his testimony when he proclaims: God’s grace has manifested itself for the salvation of all men. It instructs us . Elle ne s’est pas manifestée pour le salut de certains hommes, mais pour le salut de tous. Car c’est à tous, Juifs aussi bien que non-Juifs, qu’elle accorde le salut par le baptême, qu’elle offre le baptême comme un bienfait universel.
Come on, look at this amazing flood, far superior to that of Noah’s time. Then, the water of the flood killed mankind; today, the water of baptism, by the power of Him who was baptized, brings the dead back to life. ~ Then a dove, carrying an olive branch in its beak, prefigured the good fragrance of Christ. Today, the Holy Spirit, appearing under the guise of a dove, shows us how merciful the Lord is.
Response
The world opens to life, Stance
man receives the Spirit,
to the breath of the Most High
a new people rises
from every race, language and frontier.
R/ To become the body of Jesus Christ
and transform the face of the earth.
It is in the Holy Spirit
that you will be baptized:
Oraison
Lord our God, the sun that shines on all nations, grant that the peoples of the earth may live in peace, and raise up in our hearts the marvelous light that guided the Magi to your Son. He who reigns.
