Sunday, 1-11-26, Mark Gates, I hope that I can stay focused today. Contemplating Jesus, baptism, John the Baptist, the heavens opening, my mind felt like an octopus with twenty tentacles going in different directions!
The scene of the baptism of Jesus is jampacked with spiritual and visual ‘Gold’! I am first reminded of the rosary mysteries, the very first Luminous Mystery is ‘this’, the Baptism. I choose to listen to the rosary of Bishop Robert Barron @ Word on Fire. They formerly had shown religious art from antiquity during the decades. I was able to get a two-fer, the Rosary, and globe-trotting, through artworks.
I certainly don’t need to tell you how much MORE Magnificent the baptism of Christ is, versus my own. The first point I’d like to make though is that there aren’t any stories about my baptism, event or day… except one. It has been said that my god-father uncle bought a brand-new sport coat for the occasion. My appreciation was shown by spitting up, significantly, on him & ruining the coat. I don’t remember any of my other sacraments either, before marriage.
My parents weren’t story tellers, so the ‘art’ was lost. My own children, like most, hated when I would tell ‘dad’ stories about their lives. They believed I was embarrassing them. Life can be embarrassing! The stories of our lives are also treasure-chests of events, learning, flourishing… a faith life!
I try to thank all families & parents of baptisms in my parish, I simply say “Thank you.” “Thank you for believing in our Sacraments.”
Jesus’ own early life is chock full of stories! Please quiet yourself enough to contemplate and feel the time period. At the baptism there is John, the Baptist. John is baptizing with water (Baptism). Backing time up a smidgen we see that this is a baptism of repentance (Confession/Reconciliation). As Jesus is physically receiving baptism the heavens open up and a dove is seen descending upon Jesus (Confirmation). At this moment in my contemplation, I am on my knees. This scene, of Jesus allowing for His own baptism, in order to “Fulfill all prophecy”, just crushes and molds my spirit with Love, Obedience, Grace and much more. I have always learned with my hands, physically, seeing something done, like in a shop-class. Here’s Jesus, without even saying a word, He’s holding class, telling us to, Do as I do.
Our final spectacular event to complete this scene, God speaks, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” (Mt 3:16-17). John is well into his ministry by this time!! Folks are arriving from towns and villages all around, by the hundreds! So then, how many people actually saw with their own eyes, and heard with their own ears, yet again, about the Good News that is Christ Jesus?
Another tentacle, is the first reading for today, Isaiah 42:1-7. “Thus says the lord: here is my servant whom I uphold, My chosen one with whom I am pleased. Upon whom I have put my Spirit; He shall bring forth justice to the nations! Not crying, not shouting, not making His voice heard in the street! A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench until He establishes justice on all the earth; the coastlands shall wait for His teaching.
‘I’, the Lord have called you… ‘I’ Formed you and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for all nations!”
Isaiah was a very forward-thinking visionary, Prophet. We ordinary folks tend to think of the concept of time in the sense of lifetimes, mostly our own. How many lifetimes were spent in expecting the Messiah and He didn’t come. I think I can sympathize with our Hebrew brothers and sisters, waiting and not receiving is not fun.
The next tentacle is from the Acts of the Apostles 10: 34-38, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good, and God was with Him.” This scripture confirms what I previously wrote above regarding all of the different facets of Jesus’ life being kick-started by His baptism.
Please stay with me… the last tentacle for you is the Gospel. Matt 3: 13-17 relays to us an intimate 5–6-minute conversation and event(s), the actual Baptism. I find this initiation satisfyingly powerful. Contemplate for a moment first century Galilee, etc., the ministry of John the Baptist, completely coming out of nowhere and catching the elders by surprise. The Pharisees and scribes allowed their complacency to ‘lull’ them to sleep regarding the Law and its purpose.
John’s hair-skin shirt ministry explodes in size and yet confounds in simplicity. John has thoroughly convinced every sensible, clear-thinking person, that repentance, and baptism for the forgiveness of sin, are crucial to gaining both God’s grace and His re-commitment to parental love. And They Believe Him!!
God’s Love, His parental Love is so simple, so sweet, so tender & true and… solid as concrete. That’s my God, I hope He is this for you too. Shalom, and may all of God’s Love and Joy be yours, Mark.
