WATER: This is the main symbol of baptism. Water represents washing clean and re-birth and renewal. Water is a perfect symbol, as it contains so many meanings: It is an absolutely essential element for life.
It contains so many meanings within itself: health and life, danger and threat. Water represents enormous power and also soothing, renewing, gentleness, and washing and restoring.
Water and baptism are wonderful symbols that show us that following Jesus means we want to “immerse” or “plunge” ourselves into Jesus’ way of life. Baptism is a word that literally means “to plunge” and we believe that Baptism is not just a sign of following Jesus, Baptism actually achieves the very real connection between us and Jesus, and makes us one with his life and with the life of all other believers in Jesus.
In baptism, we become a beloved and cherished child of God. We become children of the same Father in heaven. Our Heavenly Father is so generous, so lavish in love and praise, as the gospel today tells us, that the Father, upon Jesus rising from the waters of John’s baptism literally tears the heavens apart and pours down the most wonderful praise, confidence and blessing upon his beloved son.
As one commentator says….
“We are told that God rends the heavens to lavish praise on his son— a son who, up to that point, had yet to accomplish much of anything. It must have been indescribably affirming and motivating for Jesus as he was about to begin his most challenging and self-emptying ministry. Although Jesus is God made human, he was also fully human…. and in need of encouragement and affirmation and strength from his beloved father who was in heaven… and who happened to be the father of all things….. Jesus was now absolutely assured and commissioned in the loved and confidence of his heavenly father….and confident that God the Father was completely pleased with him.” (Patrice J. Tuohy).
It is a timely reminder, that affirmation and sincere praise of one another is an important human need. We live in a culture where it seems easier to voice criticisms. It seems that for some, even if they are not actually unhappy with anything, it is not so much praise that follows, but rather silence. So we live in a world where there is too often criticism or begrudging silence. Then at other times we can get the other extreme where people compliment others with empty and insincere words that do not connect with the reality of what is happening and which therefore do very little good. Still others can feel that they should not praise others for fear that it might give the other a ‘big head’ or that the praise may be taken as mere flattery. Having said that, there is no substitute for sincere, heartfelt and constructive affirmation, encouragement and praise, which is a form of gratefulness in words. Affirmation is simply naming that for which we are grateful.
Praise is so important. Good managers know this, as do teachers, coaches, counsellors, volunteer coordinators, and fundraisers. Anyone who is trying to get someone to take the next step, or stretch themselves, or to constantly strive to reach a higher level of commitment or performance, uses affirmation at appropriate times.
For people who live without affirmation and who live with constant criticism, they get the crippling message that everything they do is never good enough or that nothing they do will really satisfy or meet with approval. For a person who gets false praise, they either feel that the words are meaningless or else they rely on compliments that do not really give them an accurate indication of who they are and what they are doing and how it is affecting others for the better. And then there are those who get good, positive feedback and affirmation, even when setbacks and the occasional mistake or failure come their way, and have developed resilience and are not defeated, because they believe in their value and the strength of their own worth, persevering through any struggles and challenges.
It has always been a bit of an intriguing thing that Jesus went to John the Baptist for Baptism. Why in the world did Jesus, God’s Son and our messiah, go to John the Baptist and request baptism from HIM?
John the Baptist was performing baptisms for the repentance of sin, and we believe Jesus was without sin. So why was it so important that he be baptized?
But, in some way, calling John’s baptism a ‘baptism of repentance’ is only a ‘shorthand’ summary of a much more complex reality.
People were coming forward for John’s baptism, because they not only were needing to repent from sin, but also because John’s baptism represented an extraordinary movement closer toward God by the people. This as the beginning of a world-shaping and world shattering time. John was calling people into a new and deeper relationship with their God, a radical calling to be part of God’s Kindom in ways that are closer than ever before. John’s preaching and his invitation for people to be baptized, was a definitive public action by all who accepted his call, to confirm that these people were wanting to be forever part of (and affiliated with) the movement of God’s Kingdom. This is the Kingdom of God that John the Baptist had been preaching about and preparing the people for. This same Kingdom would be fully established by Jesus Christ.
This was a key moment in Jesus’ ministry. From this point on, he would commence a very public and urgent ministry.
Jesus clearly did not need to be forgiven from any sin. In fact, in this gospel version of Jesus’ baptism, it does not say Jesus is LOOKING for baptism. It says he “accepts” baptism after all the others are baptized. So perhaps it is better to say that Our Lord did feel the strong need to be identified publicly with the movement of the Kingdom of God that John was preparing the people for. Jesus was the fulfilment of the Kingdom that John the Baptist was preaching about. So, in this act of Jesus being baptized, that fact was made quite clear. Jesus was completely identifying himself with all those who were committing themselves to the public way of the Kingdom of God, which he embodies so perfectly and completely. And then, when he was baptized, the heavens resonated with that truth to reveal that he was the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom.
And Jesus actions were deeply successful as he knew it would be. The Father’s voice confirmed that this action he took was the right one. Jesus was revealed to be the chosen one, the eternal Son of God. He is the one in whom the Heavenly Father is most pleased.
The words used by the Father are interesting too… “you are my beloved Son” Psalm TWO was a passage traditionally interpreted by the people of this time as a declaration of the Messianic King. “In whom I am well pleased..” is a familiar line from the prophet Isaiah 42:1…. Which culminates in the suffering servant……..(chapter 53)… So, Jesus knew that his sonship and mission was always going to involve not glory and earthly dominion, but suffering and the cross. The Cross loomed large in Jesus’ vision right from the outset. But it makes sense in the total commitment of Jesus to the vision of God’s Kindgom, which would challenge contrary powers and priorities and require all the love and sacrifice one could possibly muster. Jesus embodies this total commitment to his Father’s vision for the world and us.
Jesus’ baptism by John did the opposite, (in one sense), to what it would do for us. For us, baptism forgave our sins, but for Jesus it was HE HIMSELF who made holy the waters that touched him. By being baptised, Jesus invested baptism with the power of his presence and holiness and the power the Holy Spirit.
We who have been Baptised, in the Baptism of Jesus Christ, are called to remember the fullness of the meaning of this baptism. By being baptized, ”we are permanently and truly connected to Jesus Christ, and we share in his life and his relationship to the Heavenly Father. Our baptism is a real union with the life, values and person of Jesus, who is God made flesh. Let us be stirred into constant practical action, so as to live the Good news in our lives.
Our Baptism is intended to have real, permanent and practical effect in our lives.
Our baptism, echoing Jesus’ actions in the Jordan, is a huge “Yes” by us. We are saying “yes” we too want to share Christ’s life. Yes, we wish to truly immerse ourselves in the values and movement towards God that the Good News embodies. We want to be connected to Jesus who is utterly committed to the establishment of the Kingdom in its fullness. And we too, are aware of the necessity of the Cross which is the unavoidable cost of that commitment. There is always going to be a worthwhile cost and the reality of suffering in any love that serves. Love that suffers and actions that make a difference are founded firmly on the values of Christ.
Jesus made holy the waters of baptism, by investing this beautiful action with his very self and all they he stands for. Let us ask Our Lord to keep us committed to his vision of the Kingdom in all ways and at all times; in thought, word and action.
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REFERENCES:
FR. PAUL W. KELLY
THE DAILY STUDY BIBLE. GOSPEL OF LUKE. (REVISED EDITION). BY WILLIAM BARCLAY.
SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ
2010 – A BOOK OF GRACE-FILLED DAYS. BY Alice Camille
THE DAILY STUDY BIBLE. GOSPEL OF LUKE. (REVISED EDITION). BY WILLIAM BARCLAY.
PATRICE J. TUOHY, PrepareTheWord.com, 2008, TrueQuest Communications, LLC.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
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