Jesus’ baptism/Gospel switch

Q On Jan. 9, we celebrated “The Baptism of the Lord.”  Jesus was sinless, so why was he baptized?
A Baptism removes all sins, original sin and all personal sins.  Since Jesus was sinless, he must have been baptized for other reasons.
Jesus was not baptized for himself; he was baptized for us.  He wanted to identify himself with our sinful humanity.  He humbled himself in his baptism to show us the way to humility.  St. Justin Martyr (a second century philosopher, apologist and martyr) said that Jesus did not have to be baptized, just like he did not have to be born, suffer or die, but he did it to reveal himself to mankind.  A footnote in the “Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament” states Jesus submitted to his baptism “to identify with sinners and align himself with God’s plan.  Jesus performs Old Covenant regulations to fulfill and perfect them in the New (Covenant).”
Something changed when Jesus was baptized.  Before his baptism he was a mere carpenter.  When he came out of the water, the heavens were “torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descended upon him.  And a voice came from the heavens, ‘You are my beloved son, with you I am well pleased’ (Mk 1:10-11).” He was now ready to begin his public life with the blessings of his father.
The late Pope Benedict XVI (writing as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger), in his book “Jesus of Nazareth” states “Jesus loaded the burden of all mankind’s guilt upon his shoulders; he bore it down into the depths of the Jordan.  He inaugurated his public activity by stepping into the place of sinners. His inaugural gesture is an anticipation of the cross … The baptism is an acceptance of death for the sins of humanity.”
I think Jesus also wanted to show us the importance of the sacrament of baptism and to encourage his later followers to be baptized.  Before ascending into heaven, he commanded his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and baptize them.  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:  “Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament.  The church does not know of any means other than baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude (heaven); this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are ‘reborn of water and the Spirit’  (CCC 1257).”

Q It appears that we have switched from reading the Gospel of St. Luke on Sundays and have begun to read the Gospel of St. Matthew.  Why?
A On Nov. 27, we began a new liturgical year for the church.  During this new year, we will normally read St. Matthew’s Gospel at Sunday Mass.  
Readings come from the Lectionary, which is divided into two cycles:  one for Sundays and one for weekdays.
The Sunday cycle covers a three-year period; each year is labeled (A, B or C).  Each year begins on the First Sunday of Advent.  The three-year cycle was created after Vatican II to create a more varied selection of readings.  Year C of the three-year period ended on Nov. 26th, and Year A began. 
During Year A, we read primarily from the Gospel of St. Matthew.  Year B will begin on Dec. 3, the first Sunday of Advent.  During Year B we read the Gospel of St. Mark and Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John.  In Year C, we read primarily the Gospel of St. Luke.  The Gospel of St. John is read during the Easter Season in all three years.
On Sundays, the first reading is usually taken from the Old Testament (or from the Acts of the Apostles during the Easter season); the second reading is usually from one of the epistles, a letter written to an early church community.
The weekday cycle covers two years (Year I and Year II).  The Gospel readings for both years are basically the same.  The first reading and the Responsorial Psalm change from Year I to Year II.  Each year the Gospels are read semi-continuously (not fully-continuously), beginning with St. Mark, then St. Matthew, then St. Luke.  The Gospel of St. John is read during the Easter season.  During Advent, Christmas and Lent, readings that are appropriate to the season are used.
According to Father Felix Just SJ if someone were to go to Mass every day during a three-year period, they would hear 13.5% of the Old Testament (excluding the Psalms, since they are used in various ways during the Mass) and 71.5% of the New Testament (including 89.8% of the gospels).  So, despite what many non-Catholics think, we Catholics do read the Bible.
Deacon Hooper is a deacon assistant at Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs. He can be reached at [email protected].