Today, we officially end our Christmas season with the Baptism of our Lord. Tomorrow, we'll once again move from the white liturgical color of Christmas to the green of ordinary time. Christ’s baptism is an important event in his life. In the Gospels, Jesus' baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry and his proclamation of God's kingdom.
As we celebrate Jesus' baptism today, we might ask ourselves: Why would Jesus have to be baptized anyway if he was the Son of God and already free from sin? What insights can we learn from his baptism. And what does our own baptism really mean for us in our daily lives?
Those in the crowd who came to John the Baptist were baptized in repentance for their sins, yet Jesus had no sins for which he needed to repent. John baptized them so they could turn away from sin, but this also pointed to something much greater, to Jesus, who would take on humanity's sins and who would pay for them by making God’s forgiveness available to all who seek it. John told the crowds: “I am baptizing you with water...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Jesus was baptized publicly not only in recognition of his role in our redemption and in taking away our sins, but also to reveal his identity as God's Son. After Jesus’ baptism and the time he spends in prayer, the Holy Spirit descended upon him and the voice of the Father came forth, calling him his beloved Son.
Jesus' baptism is at the heart of his mission to heal us, reaching out to our sinfulness and brokenness. Jesus' baptism helps us recall our own baptism and the promise and hope it brings. Our Catholic faith is rich in powerful symbolism. Water is one of our most meaningful symbols, as it reminds us of the new life we receive from Christ in baptism. We have a water font at the entrance as we come into church– I see so many parishioners use that holy water to make the sign of the cross as they enter and exit the church. Sometimes, when I go to visit the sick or shut-ins, I carry a container of holy water in order to bless them and to remind them of their baptismal promises, of how Christ the Good Shepherd leads us to streams of living water. Water is a very earthy symbol for us as human beings, reminding us that water makes our life on earth possible, and that from a spiritual perspective, the baptismal water gives us new life in Christ.
Our celebration of Jesus' baptism also recalls our prophetic tradition and those who prepared the way for Christ and for all of his followers. In the midst of Israel's exile in Babylon, the prophet Isaiah cries out in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord almost 6 centuries before Christ's birth. Isaiah foretells of a mighty event in which God will reveal his glory, of the coming of his servant who will bring justice to all the nations. Just as Isaiah's prophesy prepares the people for God's glory, John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus' ministry in the midst of a wilderness as well. In many ways, John the Baptist is placed in the middle - he points back to Isaiah's prophecies and points forward to Jesus - connecting the past with the future in God's plan of salvation.
In our own baptism, in our life of faith, we all have many people who point us to Jesus and who connect us to God's kingdom. Jesus had his family who taught him in the ways of the faith, just as most of us had parents, godparents, and other family members present us for baptism as infants and who raised us and formed us in the faith. We also had others outside of our extended family who prepared us in the faith, who were examples and inspirations for us.
Through the new life in Christ that we gained in our baptism, through the baptism of Jesus that we celebrate today, may we all try to live that new life with passion and dedication in a way that is truly worthy of our calling as followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
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