Set Apart by Baptism: Homily for Thursday December 19, 2024

Being set apart by our baptism, today’s readings help us to see the value of consecration and self-denial in the spiritual life. Readings for Today. Listen to our other podcasts.

Table of Contents

Set Apart by Baptism

In today’s readings we are introduced to a special practice, namely of taking a Nazirite vow. The Hebrew word nazir means to set apart as sacred, dedicated, vowed. These vows could be taken for a lifetime or for a limited time. Today we encounter two individuals who took a lifetime vow, Samson in the first reading, and Saint John the Baptist in the second reading. (The other example of a lifetime vow is Samuel in the Old Testament.)

Those bound by this vow abstained from all products of the grapevine (most notably wine but also vinegar) and they abstained from cutting or shaving their hair, though they could cut it once a year. (Just imagine how the hair of those who took the vow must have looked!) Also, those who took this vow were seen as having a special place just like the prophets. They were men and women of God. They also needed to remain ritually pure, most notably by avoiding contact with a dead body, even if those persons were family.

During the time of Jesus, it was more common that such vows were made for a limited period. Why would people do this? Sometimes it was an act of thanksgiving such as for the birth of a child or the cure of a disease. The primary purpose was to undertake a period of consecration and self-denial. Further, it was a way for those not of Levitical or priestly descent to enter priestly consecration.

Why is it that during these final days of Advent we are given two powerful examples of this consecration and self-denial? Because as we learned yesterday, Jesus the Christ is given the name of Jesus because it means that we are saved from our sins. Moreover, rather than a definition of being able to do “whatever we want”, true freedom often means limiting our license (the ability to do whatever we want) for a greater freedom.

Consider the way that this is done. Parents often limit their license for the sake of the good of their children. We make sacrifices anytime we act in charity and justice for the good of others. And practicing fasting and acts of self-denial help us to more clearly recognize the ways that God wants to free us from our sins.

So, in what ways are you set apart for a sacred purpose? By our baptism, each one of us is set apart for a sacred purpose. As the days of Christmas approach, let us ask God to help us pay special attention to how we are set apart for God.

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.