BAPTISM IS ABOUT NEWNESS

Reflections on the Baptism of the Lord: Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Luke 3:15-16,21-22

At Christmas, Jesus is revealed as the Saviour to a few shepherds (Luke 2:11). At Epiphany, Christ manifests himself as the newborn king to the Gentiles from the East (Matthew 2:11). Today, on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Father reveals that Jesus is His “beloved Son in whom He is well pleased”. The baptism of the beloved Son opens new paths for our Christian discipleship.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church repeatedly insists that the chief purpose of baptism is to enable us to “walk in newness of life” (CCC: 537,628,977,1697). What does this newness mean to our discipleship? Today’s liturgy invites us to reflect on three dimensions of ‘newness’ that the baptism of the beloved Son teaches us today.

A new step: 

The Son of God, the one whom John the Baptist himself acclaimed to be ‘the one mightier than him’ steps into the muddy waters of Jordan to be baptised. Why would the sinless Son of God need John’s baptism of repentance? Surely, he did not require conversion or forgiveness, did he? The baptism of Jesus was a step towards solidarity. Jesus chooses to be baptised alongside sinners. In the baptism of Jesus, we already discern his steps into his passion: Though he existed in the form of God..., he “emptied himself”, “assumed human likeness”, “humbled himself” and “became obedient to the point of death” (Philippians 2:6-8).

Like on the Cross, baptism became a moment of Jesus’ self-emptying solidarity with all humanity. This new step of the beloved Son reveals God’s closeness and solidarity. The Father we meet at the Lord’s baptism is not a distant God, who remains in Heaven as the “Most High”. Instead, He reveals Himself as the Father who comes close to us, giving up his “beloved Son” to transform us into his sons and daughters. In the image of the ‘open heaven’, we realise that the distance that kept humanity from God is now abolished/bridged. God steps into our muddy world so that there is no more separation. God continues to take this eternally new step in the sacrament of baptism, in which we enter into a personal relationship with God and experience the “heaven open up” for us too.

A new start: 

There is a striking parallel between the episode of the baptism of Jesus and the creation passage. In Genesis, The Father speaks, “Let there be light”. In Jesus’ baptism, the Father speaks too, “This is my beloved Son”. In creation, the Son fulfils. As John attests, “The world was made through the Word of God. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). In the baptism, Jesus fulfills the will of his Father as he tells John, “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). In the creation passage, the Holy Spirit pervades and is found ‘hovering over the waters’. Similarly, in the baptism passage, ‘the Spirit of God descends like a dove’ upon Jesus.

In both the creation and the baptism, the Holy Trinity is present and in this Trinitarian presence, we discover that we are re-created. A new life begins and a new creation unfolds. Like the dove that returned to Noah with a young olive branch, the baptism announces a new springtime in which the creation will begin anew. As Paul says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). Through the sacrament of baptism, the Trinitarian God gives us this same opportunity for a new start to enter a new way of life.  

A new style: 

The Gospels indicate that there is a close link between Jesus’ baptism, his temptation, and the beginning of his public ministry. After his baptism, Jesus “is driven out into the wilderness” (Mark 1:12, Matthew 4:1, Luke 4:1) and after the temptations, “he returned to Galilee, and began to teach in their synagogues” (Luke 4:14-15, Matthew 4:23, Mark 1:14). Baptism, while creating us new, does not magically transform us into saints. We have a role to play, a contribution to make, and a journey to undertake in our discipleship. It is the Spirit who inspires Jesus in his struggle against the temptations.

In his temptations, Jesus rejects his welfare, glory, and interest to embrace the mission of his Father as his life’s greatest priority. He says no to the urge to satiate his hunger, the challenge to test his Father and the allure of power. Instead, he dedicates himself to the Kingdom’s mission for the poor, captives, blind, and the oppressed” (Luke 4:16). The Church continues to accomplish this mission through the ministry of all the baptized. We are missionary disciples and our baptism empowers us to resist the temptation of self-worship and to witness to the person and message of Jesus in our daily lives. 

God’s new step (solidarity) guarantees a new start (re-creation) of a life guided by a new style (mission). May God’s solidarity inspire us to embrace the call to re-create our lives and dedicate ourselves to our baptismal mission of God’s kingdom.