Daily Reflections

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Scripture:

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Acts 10:34-38
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Reflection:

I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. -Luke 3:16

A centuries-old question has circulated about why Jesus, born and living his entire life without sin, chose to be baptized.  While teaching adult Baptism classes at our local parish, I have long pondered what circumstances had occurred in Jesus’ life before his appearance at the Jordan to be baptized by John?  Remember that Jesus came to John to be baptized voluntarily.   John was seemingly not immediately cognizant of what was happening.

The events Luke records when Christ was twelve reveal several fascinating facts. They tell us that Jesus fully understood, at a young age, that God, not Joseph, was his true Father.  He also became aware, through scripture, prayer, fasting, meditation and dialogue with his mother about the circumstances of his birth, that the purpose of his life was to give his life for the salvation of all.  “And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’  But they did not understand what he said to them.  He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.”  (L 2: 49-52)

The Catholic Catechism teaches that all sacraments are covenants with God.  They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in the Church.  We are quite familiar with the multiple covenants that God entered with his chosen people in the Old Testament.  If indeed sacraments are covenants with God, is it not likely that Jesus, after 30 years of prayer, fasting, meditation and dialogue with His mother about the circumstances of his birth would enter into a covenant with His Father before he began his ministry?  His covenant might have gone something like this: “Father I will give up my life for our people, if you grant them salvation from their sins.”

Such a covenant could indeed have been sealed at the hands of John in the Jordan river. 

Scripture relates several immediate responses to Jesus’ baptism:

• “John tried to prevent him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed him.”  (Mt 3: 14-15)
• “After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him.  And a voice came from the heavens, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’”  (Mt 3: 16-17)
• “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.”  (Mk 1: 9-13)

In the context of salvation history, would it not appear obvious that Jesus entered into his ministry, passion and death with a determined and agreeable spirit and approval of his Father in Heaven?  He had spent 30 years preparing for this monumental moment in human history. His baptism was something significantly more than a chance encounter with John the Baptist in the Jordan River.

Bill Berger has had a lifelong relationship with the Passionist Family.  Bill and his wife, Linda, are currently leaders of the Community of Passionist Partners (CPPs) in Houston, Texas.