Don’t Look Up.
Last Friday I watched the Netflix movie, Don’t look up. It was decent, I enjoyed it. The basic premise of the movie is that there is a comment heading straight toward earth large enough to completely wipe out all life on the planet. As the comet comes closer the movie focuses on how different people react to it and handle the impending crisis. Some people took to the streets for luting; some turned to sex or alcohol, or drugs, or some combination thereof; some took to greed and self-centeredness in trying to escape the planet; the movie showed some eastern monks (not Christian) praying and beating drums on the mountainside. I then noticed that Catholicism was absent from the movie entirely. In fact, Christianity in any form was glossed over in only one quick scene. Why is that? Why is it that Catholicism is absent from this recent film? I would argue, the reason is that we are absent from culture.
Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we should recall our own baptisms. We should reflect today on how well we live out the mission we received the day that we were baptized.
When we are baptized, we are also anointed. We are anointed as priest, prophet, and king. The big question about this anointing is, do we actually live out our threefold purpose in God’s Kingdom.
We were anointed priest. What does it mean when we say that we are priests by our baptisms? First, it does not mean that everyone is a priest like Father Zoghby or myself. Rather the word priest has two real meanings, the person who offers sacrifice, and the person who intercedes in prayer for other people. How is it that we live our lives? Do we live for ourselves, or do we live for others? Is my life focused on bringing myself as much pleasure and enjoyment as I can possibly muster, or is my life spent seeking what is good for the people who surround me? Further, do I pray? If I do pray, is it all about me, or do I instead pray for those around me?
We were anointed prophet. When we claim that we are God’s prophets, it does not mean that we are automatically wise, and people should seek our advice. Rather, it means that we are charged with the responsibility to know God through His word. How often to you BOTH read and pray with Scripture? How can I speak God’s word to others if I do not already know it. When I do proclaim God’s word, do I do so to bring people around me and to build up their respect for me or do I speak in a way that draws people to the altar and to join us at the Eucharist?
We were anointed king. Yet, we don’t get to lord power over each other. To be powerful for our own benefit, means that we have given into the sin of pride. To be anointed king at our Baptism means that we are to be the rulers of our own lives. It would be wrong to say, “I am the ruler of my life, therefore no one can tell me what I can and cannot do.” Rather to live out this baptismal kingship, I must become the ruler of my own desires. Do I allow every desire I have to control me, change, me and dictate what I am to do next, or do I have self mastery and can tell myself no?
We are absent from the culture, because we have not shown to the world the value of Faith. We are absent from culture because we have not engaged with culture. The world does not know God because we do not teach the world who He is. We need to be priestly, offering prayer and fasting for the good of the world around us. We need to be prophetic, offering God’s word and leading people to the joy and hope of the Gospel. We need to be kingly, subduing our passions and becoming Holy Saints. We need to live out our Baptismal identities. We need to be Holy.
Father Nicholas Napolitano
St John the Baptist, Magnolia Springs
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
9 January 2022