Jesus' Baptism, Our Baptism (Baptism of the Lord, Year B)

We celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which marks the end of the Christmas season. As we celebrate this feast, we may have to recall WHAT BAPTISM IS & DOES. According to our Catholic Faith, Baptism is a sacrament which does two things: it CLEANSES and INITIATES. First, it cleanses us from original sin; and secondly, it makes us Christians (that is, initiates us into the Christian family), makes us God’s children (or initiates us into the family of God) and makes us members of the Church (or initiates us into the Church)”. 

Taking all of the above into consideration, we may have to ask: “Was it necessary then that Christ be baptized? Jesus did not go for baptism because He wanted to be cleansed of His sin (of course, He was sinless); He did not go for baptism in order to become a child of God, a Christian and a member of the Church. Even John the Baptist objected to Jesus’ request to be baptized; but Jesus insisted, “Let it be done for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). So Jesus went for baptism in order to show us the way. He submitted Himself for baptism in order to demonstrate to us that baptism is an important aspect of our Christian life. He went for baptism in order to practically demonstrate to us what happens to us when we are baptized.

Today’s readings will remind us or help us have an in-depth knowledge of what happened to each of us when we were baptized. In fact, the baptism of Jesus has a powerful and mystical connection to our baptism. What then happened to us when we were baptized? Let us take a closer look at the readings.

There is a word that appears in all the readings of today’s celebration; that word is WATER. In the first reading, Isaiah prophesies: “Everyone who thirsts, come to the WATERS…that your soul may LIVE” (cf. Isa. 55:1.3a). In the responsorial psalm, Isaiah proclaims: “With joy, you will draw WATER from the wells of salvation” (cf. Isa. 12:3). In the second reading, St John powerfully testifies that Jesus came by WATER and blood; and through WATER, Spirit and blood, God testifies that Jesus is His Son (cf. 1 Jn. 5:6-9). In the gospel, it is recounted that Jesus came up out of the WATER at the very moment of His baptism. What is the symbolism of water in all of the above? Water is necessarily connected to life: it is a source of life; it is a symbol of life. Water is also a powerful agent of cleansing and purification. So, through His baptism, Christ sanctified the waters for our baptism and imbued it with so much power for our sanctification, purification and salvation. In the baptismal waters then, we are cleansed of the filth of sin and receive LIFE (the life of God, the life of grace).

In the gospel reading, we are told that as Jesus emerged from the waters of baptism, the heavens opened and the SPIRIT descended upon Him like a DOVE. The Spirit came in the form of a dove. Why dove? Dove is an animal that does not know violence; it is an animal used as a symbol of peace and love. The descent of the Spirit in the form of a dove signifies the divine commissioning and the attendant empowerment received at baptism. Just as it happened at Jesus’ baptism, we too have been commissioned and empowered by God at our baptism to become agents of love, justice, peace and liberation. And that is why immediately after His baptism, Jesus began His public ministry: He went about doing good, showing love, conquering evil in all its forms and shades, liberating people from all forms of bondage and ultimately reconciling humanity with God and with creation through His death. When we are commissioned and empowered in baptism, Christ’s mission becomes our mission: we become agents of love, peace and justice; we become conquerors in and through Jesus. It is then very surprising and disturbing to learn that there are Christians who are cowards, afraid of evil spirits and the forces of the underworld. It is even more surprising to learn that love, peace and justice are sometimes nowhere to be found among Christians. Fellow Christians, we have the power; we have the authority – let us conquer the “world”; let us conquer the evil of injustice, tribalism and all forces of darkness and sin through Jesus who strengthens us.

When Jesus emerged from the waters of baptism, the voice of the Father came from heaven saying, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased”. At baptism, God the Father confirms that we are His beloved sons and daughters, co-heirs with Christ. As sons and daughters of God, we have inalienable rights and privileges because we have become bona-fide members of the family of God. St John goes further to imply that as sons and daughters of God, as fellow heirs with Christ, “as those who believe and accept that Jesus is the Son of God, we are now victorious over the world” (cf. 1 Jn. 5:5). What a status we now have in Christ!

Prayer:

We pray that we may always remember our status in Christ, the power that we have received and the transformation that we have undergone through our baptism in Christ, Amen!

Have a Grace-filled Sunday!