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It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the
water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a
dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You
are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Mark
1:9–11
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord concludes for us the Christmas
Season and transitions us into the beginning of Ordinary Time. From
a Scriptural point of view, this event in Jesus' life is also a
transitional moment from His hidden life in Nazareth to the
beginning of His public ministry. As we commemorate this glorious
event, it’s important to ponder a simple question: Why was Jesus
baptized? Recall that John’s baptism was one of repentance, an act
by which he invited his followers to turn from sin and to turn to
God. But Jesus was sinless, so what was the reason for His
Baptism?
First of all, we see in the quoted passage above that Jesus’ true
identity was made manifest through His humble act of baptism. “You
are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased,” spoke the voice of
the Father in Heaven. Furthermore, we are told that the Spirit
descended upon Him in the form of a dove. Thus, Jesus’ baptism is
in part a public declaration of Who He is. He is the Son of God, a
divine Person Who is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. This
public testimony is an “epiphany,” a manifestation of His true
identity for all to see as He prepares to begin His public
ministry.
Second, by His baptism, Jesus’ incredible humility is made
manifest. He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, but He
allows Himself to become identified with sinners. By sharing in an
act that was focused upon repentance, Jesus speaks volumes through
His action of baptism. He came to unite Himself with us sinners, to
enter our sin and to enter into our death. By entering the water,
He symbolically enters into death itself, which is the result of
our sin, and rises triumphantly, allowing us to also rise with Him
to new life. For this reason, Jesus’ baptism was a way of Him
“baptizing” the waters, so to speak, so that water itself, from
that moment onward, would be endowed with His divine presence and
could be communicated to all who are baptized after Him. Therefore,
sinful humanity is now able to meet divinity through baptism.
Lastly, when we share in this new baptism, through water that has
now been sanctified by our divine Lord, we see in Jesus’ baptism a
revelation of who we become in Him. Just as the Father spoke and
declared Him as His Son, and just as the Holy Spirit descended upon
Him, so also in our baptism we become the adopted children of the
Father and are filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus, Jesus’ baptism
gives clarity as to whom we become in Christian
baptism.
Lord, I thank You for Your humble act of baptism by which You
opened the Heavens to all who are sinners. May I open my heart to
the unfathomable grace of my own baptism each and every day and
more fully live with You as a child of the Father, filled with the
Holy Spirit. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured image above: The Baptism of Christ by Verrocchio
& Leonardo, via Wikimedia Commons
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