Once Pope Francis asked the public during his reflection at the time of a regular angelus: “How many of you can remember the date of your baptism?” Then the Pope said that for those who do not know the date of the baptism he would give a homework to find it. “Find the date of your baptism”, he said. For that he suggested to get the help of the parents or godfathers or uncle or aunt and celebrate it as a feast day and thank God for the gift of baptism.
After this angelus-reflection of the Pope some members of my parish had telephoned me and said that they were very much impressed by this talk of the Pope. I think, this question of the Pope Francis is an occasion for us to become convinced how important is for us the baptism.
Today we celebrate the feast of the baptism of Jesus. With the feast of the baptism of Jesus the Christmas season is over. The three kings who traveled a long to visit the new born saviour of the world have returned. Joseph, Mary and Jesus have returned from their exile in Egypt and settled in their homeland Nazareth. Herodes is dead. Perhaps Joseph is also no more by this time. Then Jesus begins his public ministry. In the liturgical year we begin with the feast of the baptism of Jesus a new period, the period of the public ministry of Jesus.
Jesus begins to preach through words and deeds. Before beginning to preach He received baptism in the river Jordan from John the Baptist. It is fascinating to see that Jesus stands with the sinners in the river Jordan to receive the baptism for the forgiveness of sins. John the Baptist says about Jesus: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” We will be also thinking like John the Baptist why Jesus received the baptism with water for the forgiveness of sins. I think, Jesus shows his attitude and the attitude of God who identified himself with the week, simple, suffering and sinful humanity although He is God Himself. This is the attitude which Jesus expects from each one of us. All humans are equally important for God as children of God.
Jesus was a relative of John the Baptist, but Jesus acknowledged him not as a relative but as a prophet. John the Baptist acknowledged Jesus as one who is greater than all the prophets and as the one who would baptise with water and the Holy Spirit.
Water is a symbol of life and a symbol of the Spirit of God. Baptism with water and the Holy Spirit means that Jesus will baptise us not only with baptism for the forgiveness of sins but also with the Holy Spirit in order that we live in the presence of God and in joy of the children of God.
The voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased,” confirmed the meaning of water in relation to the presence of God that Jesus as the presence of God on earth. Through the baptism of Jesus the presence of God is felt and experienced on earth. Through the baptism of Jesus the Trinity is revealed, the Vater who loves us, the Son who is one among us and the Spirit who is active in us and through us.
The baptism which Jesus received and the disciples of John received was the same; but the effect of the baptism in Jesus and in the disciples of John were different. The voice from heaven and the appearance of the Spirit in the form of a dove expressed the special relationship of Jesus to God and the mandate Jesus received from God. Dove in the Old Testament stands for the messenger of God. The appearance of the Spirit in the form of a dove was for Jesus, John and for those who were present there a confirmation about the particularity of Jesus.
We have received the baptism with water and Spirit which John the Baptist announced. It assured us the belongingness to the community of the children of God. We can experience this communion of the children of God in every community of believers like parish or family in which we attain the attitude of Jesus who identified himself with the week and the sinful who was humble and meek. The spirit of God is active and lively. Let the Spirit guide us.
Fr. Joseph Pandiappallil MCBS