Inaugural Event: The Baptism of the Lord

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord was restored in the liturgy after Vatican II. It was restored because it marks an important event in the life of Jesus. It marks the beginning of his work as Savior. At the age of 30, he is officially commissioned by his Father, who declares publicly: "This is my beloved Son." And he is equipped for this mission by the coming upon him of the Holy Spirit.

All this I find very significant. We must remember that Jesus did not save us because he was God - he was that of all eternity, but he saved us by becoming a man like us, by taking our sins upon himself and dying for our sins. Something he could not do as God. Being in one person, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, this person had two kinds of being, two ways of acting: that of God, that of man. He could know all things and perform miracles as God; he could be a baby, grow up, learn to speak and think, etc, as a man. His human nature was the connecting link with us, something we had in common. In Jesus we were joined with a man like us who was also God. That is how in Jesus we were united with God and received salvation, something only God could do for us.

All this is signified by Jesus when he received the baptism of John. This baptism signified that the one who received it repented of his sins, rather of our sins which he took upon himself; and the water into which he was plunged signified the inner purification of the soul. Somewhat like our own baptism.

Now think of it this way. Jesus comes to John with the sins of mankind upon himself, and thus repents in our name. That is what is signified when Jesus goes down into the water. Only because he was a man, a part of our human race, could he assume that role of Savior.

But then, because he was truly a man, Jesus needed in his human nature to be filled with the divine power of the Holy Spirit. As a man, he needed the Holy Spirit just as much as you and I; and even more than us because he had a greater mission to accomplish. That is why, after Jesus' Baptism, the Holy Spirit came down upon him under the form of a dove.

In today's second reading, Peter tells us that when Jesus was baptized, "God anointed Him (that is, penetrated his whole being) with the Holy Spirit and power" (Acts 10:38). This refers to his humanity. As a man, Jesus needed divine power to do good works, including miracles, and to overcome the power of the devil.

Notice that until then, Jesus had done nothing extraordinary. He never preached, never performed any miracles. He was just an ordinary good man, a devout Jew from Nazareth, "the son of the carpenter." So much so that when later he returned to his native town, the people were surprised, filled with amazement, and said to one another, "Where did he get such wisdom and miraculous powers? Isn't he the carpenter's son?" (Mt 13:54-55).

We must understand that Jesus was a true man, like all of us. He came into the world and was born a little baby. Then he grew up little by little, acquiring all human skills: he had to learn to talk, eat, walk. His mind was that of a child. Then, he grew in knowledge, wisdom, etc.

Luke makes this clear. Jesus did not have from birth the mental faculties as he would later. We read in Luke 2:39-40, for example, that when the pair (Mary and Joseph) had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee and their own town of Nazareth. And he adds, "the child grew in size and strength, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was with him."

Then, Luke records that after Jesus was found in the temple, "he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother meanwhile kept all these things in memory. Jesus for his part progressed steadily in wisdom and age and grace before God and men" (Lk 2:51-52).

But when Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan, something momentous happened to him. He was a transformed man. The Gospels report that he spoke like no man had ever spoken. He cured the sick, cast out demons, even raised dead people to life. In all he did, he was led by the Spirit to do the Father's will. For example, St. Luke tells us that after Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan, "he was conducted by the Spirit into the desert, where he was tempted by the devil" (Lk 4:1-2). Shortly after, Luke tells us, "Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and his reputation spread throughout the region" (Lk 4:14).

That's how the prophets, the saints, and even at times, simple Christians are led to do the work of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Many Christians fail to realize how much Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill his mission as Savior and Messiah. That is because they do not realize that it was Jesus as a man, by his very humanity, who became the Mediator and Savior between God and man. His human nature became the connecting link, the bridge between God and us. That is how God, in Jesus, was able to save us from our sins.

A second important thing happened when Jesus was baptized: a voice from heaven, the voice of the Father was heard saying: "You are my beloved Son, on you my favor rests."

I have a hunch that these words were not spoken for the benefit of John the Baptist and the bystanders, but rather that they were words of encouragement for Jesus himself. Jesus was to embark on a new mission, something he had never experienced. He may have been overwhelmed by the task ahead.

So the Father says to him: "Go, I am with you. You are my beloved Son; you have my blessings. Don't be afraid." These reassuring words were accompanied by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and power. He received on this occasion, I believe, an exceptional outpouring of what we call the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Today, we too can be encouraged to fulfill our mission in the world as Christians, other Christs. We have received a mission to evangelize the world, and we have received like Jesus, the Holy Spirit and his gifts to make us wise and strong, able to do the works God has prepared for us. Amen.

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