Baptism of the Lord

Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened (Luke 3:22).

            A while ago, I read a story about some parents who were explaining to their son why he was baptized. They stated how Baptism washed away Original Sin, made him a member of the Church and allowed him to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. After they finished, he inquired “Was Jesus baptised?” When they answered yes, he asked “Why?” At that moment the parents decided it was time to invite their Parish Priest over for supper.

            In this text from Luke, Jesus is among a large group of people who are baptized by John. By recording the event, Luke indicates the action occurred without explaining its meaning.

            Christ’s Baptism was among the most certain events which occurred during his time on earth. Each of the Gospels either recorded or implied the action. Although Matthew noted John’s hesitation about the event, Jesus stated it fulfilled all righteousness and so the Baptist complied. None of the Evangelists supplied any justification for the action. Yet, they each described some of what happened to Jesus after the event: the heavens opened; the Holy Spirit descended and a voice from heaven called him “my Son”. Perhaps the clear establishment of Christ’s identity as the “Son of God” was the reason for his Baptism. Since Jesus was divine and knew it, the event likely happened for the benefit of later disciples who learned about him through the Scriptures. His first disciples, who had no contact with Christ, learned about this part of his identity from his teachings and miracles. For those with no earthly experience of Jesus, this event made clear his divinity at the very start of the story about him. This certainty provided his followers with a firm understanding of their own identity. Their faith came from a divine rather than human source.

            The Baptism of Jesus helps us understand our own baptismal identity in two ways. First, when we are baptized, we are joined to his Death and Resurrection. Christ’s Death demonstrated that human life was intended for more than earthly existence. He sacrificed it for a greater good: the salvation of sinners. His Resurrection revealed that death was not the end of human existence but led to Eternal Life. Every baptized person becomes “another Christ” who makes their union with him present to the world by how they live out their life. They strive to promote the greater goods of truth and justice and prepare for the life to come. Second, at our Baptism, we are linked to the mystery of the relationship between Christ and his Father. The announcement by the voice from heaven “this is my Son” reveals the close bond between the two. Although Jesus submitted to his Father’s will, there were times when this seemed difficult for him, such as in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is natural for humans to inquire why it was the Father’s will that Jesus had to die. They find it hard to accept certain things which cannot be understood. Through Baptism we enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus and his Father. As we cannot fully understand the dynamics of the bond between them, we cannot completely grasp the forces acting on our relationship with either one. The Sacrament gives us the graces to at least cope with this situation. It is a reminder we are those who can live with the unknown.

            Like the parents in the opening story, we express our faith in the form of propositions. By doing so, it becomes easier to understand and communicate to others. However, propositions do not express the fullness of our beliefs. Baptism does wash away Original Sin, makes us members of the Body of Christ (the Church) and lets us receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Yet, it requires us to abandon our earthly way of understanding life and death as well as accept the mysteries of faith we do not comprehend including the bond between Christ and his Father. Baptism allows us to become comfortable with things propositions cannot express. It gives us an identity which is distinct from the rest of the world because we see it differently.

January 9, 2022