The Baptism of our Lord

 Reflection on Readings of the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord, Sunday 10th January, 2021

Texts: Is. 55:1-11; Ps. Is. 12:2-6; 1John 5:1-9; Mark 1:7-11

Many reasons have been given to why Jesus Christ submitted Himself for baptism. In today's Office of the Reading, St. Gregory Nazianzen says, "John baptizes, Jesus comes to him; perhaps to sanctify the Baptist himself, but certainly to bury the whole of the old Adam in the water; and before this and for the sake of this, to sanctify Jordan. As he is Spirit and flesh, so he consecrates us by Spirit and water" (p. 379). It is also said that it is meant to foreshadow his death and resurrection. However, in the baptism of our Lord, we can see the lowliness of God, which makes Him submit to us in prayer. His submission to John the Baptist reflects God's condescension to hear our prayer. Many of the time we see prayer as an appeal made to a superior. The nature of prayer does not only reflect an appeal made to superior but also a polite way of asking one who is lowly to do something for us. This reflects the informal nature of prayer.

Today's Readings are so rich in the elements of baptism. In the first reading, we are called to the water of baptism. God says, "Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." The invitation is to those who thirst; the thirst is not for material things, but for God; it is for those who thirst for righteousness. Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill" (Mat. 5:6). This tells us that we need to desire righteousness before approaching the water of baptism. For this reason, before baptism we are asked to renounce Satan and his works, sin, and then profess our faith in Trinity. At baptism the life of God is bestowed on us and we are introduced into the life of Trinity. The life of God is righteousness. It is said, "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Hence, Jesus submit Himself for baptism, not because He has sin, but as the Lord of righteousness He descended into water so as to bestow righteousness on those who will be baptised in water. When we are baptised in water it is Jesus Christ who cleanses us, not the water. 

It is also clear in the reading that we do not buy baptismal grace, it is free. It is free because it is beyond what one can buy; no one can obtain it by his/her effort, it is the act of God in us. We receive at Baptism the justifying grace and for this St. Paul says, "all are justified by the free gift of his grace through being set free in Christ Jesus" (Rm. 3:24). Jesus Christ purchased for us the baptismal grace through His redemptive works, his death and resurrection. Hence, we can say that Jesus submit Himself for baptism so as to be identified with those who will be baptised in His name. St. Paul says, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Rm. 6:4).

With baptism the door of salvation is opened to all nations; it is no longer by biological descent and circumcision. Hence, God says, "Behold, you shall call nations that you know not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you." 

While water is the matter of baptism, it has words as its form; for St. Peter says, "for your new birth was not from any perishable seed but from imperishable seed, the living and enduring Word of God" (1Pet. 1:23). God, in today's first reading,  affirms the efficacy of the form of baptism, when He says, "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there but  water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I intend, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it." The form is the very command and the words of our Lord: "baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt. 28:19b).

When we are baptised we are born of God, for the life of God has been bestowed upon us. The Spirit is given to us and bears witness to the life of God in us. As Holy Spirit bore witness to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, so also He bears witness to our adoption as sons in Him. St. John says, "And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. St. Paul puts it this way: "As you are sons, God has sent into our hearts the Spirit of His Son crying, 'Abba', Father" (Gal.4:6). 

St. John mentions three witnesses: the Spirit, the water and the blood. The Spirit speaks of life of God in us while the water speaks of baptism.  The blood speaks of the yielding of our lives to God, for Jesus Christ says, "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it" (Mtt. 10:39).  Our baptism is into Jesus Christ, believing that He is the one God has sent to save us. By baptism we confess that our salvation is in Jesus Christ. St. John, in today's second reading, says, "Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the one begotten by him." Having been born of God, we become brothers to Jesus Christ, His Son, and we are made to live righteous life like Him. Righteousness consists in keeping God's commandments. In the second reading, St. John says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." St. John also reminds us that our faith in Jesus Christ has granted us victory. He says, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith." Our victory is a share in the victory of Christ who says, "In this world you will have hardship, but be courageous: I have conquered the world" (John 16:33b). By the virtue of our baptism we receive His Spirit and also share in His victory over the world.

Lord our God, help us by your grace to keep intact in us the grace we received at  baptism. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke