BAPTISM OF JESUS Year C 12/1/25
Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 104; Titus 2:11-3:7; Luke 3:15-22
The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan has two aspects.
① The baptism by John was for sinners – they were forgiven. But Jesus was not a sinner. By this baptism Jesus showing us sinner in a concrete way that he stands beside us in subsidiarity, support and understanding of our human frailty. Here of the beginning of his public life Jesus is saying the same as at the end of his life on earth; “I am with you” and that he is ‘a friend of sinners’.
② The second aspect is our own Baptism. It differs from John’s baptism in that not only is sin forgiven but above that the actual life of God flows into our soul. We become an actual child of God. God become a kind and understanding Father to us. At Baptism God, our Father, calls us each by name and says: “You are my child. I love you.” St. Paul in today’s letter to Titus says that our baptism is a “re-birth”.
As children of God, our Father, we become heirs to enter his home, Heaven. The very purpose of our comparatively very short life on earth is to prepare for a life that never ends – eternal. In Heaven happiness is total. As St. Paul to Titus says: ‘By the Father’s grace we become heirs in hope of eternal life.’
Let us ponder the meaning of ‘hope’. Hope is the theme for this Holy Year. Hope always looks toward something in the future that is worth-while. Heaven is the most worth-while gift that any human could receive.
At our Baptism we receive a lighted candle with the words: “Walk as a child of light.” The candle of baptism is let from the Paschal candle representing the Risen Christ.
We walk the path of life, with its destination Heaven, with Jesus. Jesus gives us light in darkness, strength in weakness, compassion in suffering, and companionship in loneliness. And we are guided and warmed by the Holy Spirit.
The words of Baptism are: “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” God puts his power into the words and water. We who have received Baptism are indeed spiritually rich. We have been especially chosen by God to share God’s love and compassion with others.
