The Baptism of the Lord and Our Baptism

 

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee 
and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open 
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, 
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
-- Mark 1: 9-11

Jesus joins the people who are going out to John the Baptist, not because he needs to repent because he has not sinned and has no sin in him. He voluntarily submits himself to the Baptism of St. John, intended for sinners, in order to "fulfill all righteousness." Though pure, innocent, and without sin, Our Lord allows John to baptize Him, not because He needs it, but because sinners need it. He is not purified through baptism, but He purifies the waters of baptism. By surrendering to the Father, he serves as a model for us. He invites us to share in the relationship he has with the Father, which is announced from the heavens. Jesus' gesture is also a manifestation of his self-emptying. When He is baptized, his divinity is manifested. He confirms the presence of the Holy Spirit at Baptism, as well as the presence of the Father and the Son. The Spirit who had hovered over the waters of the first creation descended then on the Christ as a prelude of the new creation, and the Father revealed Jesus as his "beloved Son." We are all his beloved children and receive the grace of the Father's mercy at our baptism.

The Baptism of Christ represents the beginning of His Messianic mission. At this time, the promise of eternal life is made to all who are baptized. The Church baptizes babies as soon as possible after they are born to ensure the promise of eternal life. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI was baptized on the day he was born, April 16th. His mother brought him to the Easter Vigil Service on that day, which was Holy Saturday, to be baptized.

Pope St. John Paul II has said that we should celebrate our baptism just as we celebrate our birthdays. For, this is the date commemorating the day that we are filled with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and admitted into the Eucharistic communion with others in the Catholic Church. Through the Holy Spirit, in baptism we are purified, justified, and sanctified. This is the day when we begin our faith journey with the Lord and make the most important commitment in our lives. We take the first step in inheriting the kingdom of God. The vows taken for the infant at this time are based upon the faith of the parents.

Prayer 
Heavenly Father,
As we meditate on the baptism of Your Son today, help us to recall our own baptism and its calling -- to proclaim the Good News and to make Your message known to all those we encounter. Help us to always be faithful to our mission. We ask this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and through the intercession of Mother Mary, as we pray Hail Mary, full of grace...



-

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated and are published at the blogger's discretion.

Blog Archive

Show more

Popular posts from this blog

The Spirituality and Miracles of St. Clare of Assisi

Image
August 11 is the memorial of St. Clare, one of my favorite saints. She was the first woman to follow the life of radical poverty practiced by St. Francis of Assisi and is the co-founder of the Poor Clares. Although I am not a Franciscan, I have had Franciscan friends, clergy, and spiritual directors instruct me on the beauty of St. Clare's spirituality. I have also learned a great deal from reading about her over the years. Clare and Francis (2007) is a film which depicts the fascinating story of her dramatic conversion and surrender to the will of God. St. Clare is the patron saint of television. She is also the patron of eye disorders, embroiderers, good weather, and telephones. The Contemplative Life The Lady Clare was born into a noble family in Assisi in 1193 and was admired for her great beauty. When she heard Francis of Assisi preach his Lenten homilies at the Church of San Giorgio, she was captivated by his words. At age eighteen, she heard him say: "When the
Read more

Saint Michael de Sanctis: Patron of Cancer Patients

Image
Today is the feast of Saint Michael de Sanctis, also known as St. Michael of the Saints, a Spanish Discalced Trinitarian priest, the patron of cancer patients. Michael Argemir was born on September 29, 1591 at Vic, Catalonia, Spain. At age 6, he told his parents that he planned to become a monk and began modeling his life after Saint Francis of Assisi. Michael’s parents died when he was about ten years old. He then served as an apprentice with a local merchant. During this apprenticeship, he continued his fervent devotion to the Lord, especially to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the age of 12, he joined the Trinitarian Friars at Barcelona, taking his vows at St. Lambert’s monastery in Saragosa four years later.  Shortly afterwards, Michael expressed a desire to join the reformed group of Trinitarians and was given permission to do so. He went to the Novitiate at Madrid and, after studies at Seville and Salamanca, he was ordained a priest. Twice he served as Superior of the hou
Read more

Saint Gerard of Brogne: Patron of Abbots

Image
St. Gerard was born to a noble family in Staves, Belgium, in 895. He descended from a royal line of military men and at first felt a share in this call to arms. He trained for the army and, as a page of the count of Namur, he was sent on a special mission to the French court. There, Gerard realized that he was being called to the monastic life. He stayed in France and joined the Benedictines of St. Denis, abandoning his noble birthright and all his worldly possessions. He spent eleven years in France as a monk before becoming a priest. Following his ordination, he left for Belgium in order to found a new abbey on his own estate of Brogne. He was its abbot for twenty-two years and during that period was instrumental in introducing St. Benedict's Rule into numerous houses in Flanders, Lorraine and Champagne.He became known for his engaging sweetness of temper, his strict observance of the Rule of St. Benedict and for the replacement of lukewarm religious practice with true piety.
Read more