THE BAPTISM OF JESUS (A)

We begin a journey today, one with Our Lord Jesus Christ as the navigator who will lead us safely to our goal. Each year at this time we set out with him on his journey, one that lasted about three years. Although we have been on it ever since our own baptism when we were pledged (or we pledged ourselves) to accompany him, until we rest together forever in our true home in heaven.

The liturgy of the Church is arranged in such a way that we are enlightened about the way to go, encouraged to do so, and offered the means to get there. And we do that by following Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

For the past seven weeks we have celebrated the remote preparation for this journey throughout Advent and the Christmas season. Through the prophet Isaiah and the words and deeds of John the Baptist we have been reminded again of the promise of a Saviour and his qualities, as well as the need to be prepared for his coming. At Christmas we remembered the events surrounding his birth and early childhood, and that his very name means saviour, but that he came to us in the weak and needy form of a poor infant. Having set aside his power and might as God (Phil 2), his majesty which was hidden from the eyes of his neighbours in Galilee, he was simply known as a carpenter from the remote town of Nazareth, a man like us in all things but sin. (Heb 2)

Today we join him at the River Jordan where for some time John had been preaching and calling people to repentance. His baptism was an external sign of a personal willingness and commitment to repent, to change from a life of sin to one of righteousness in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Of course, Jesus, the sinless one, had no need of repentance since he was indeed without sin. Yet, in his desire to be like us humans in all things, he allowed himself to be taken for a sinner and presented himself to John for baptism.

This was the beginning of his public life, and God the Father approved greatly his humble submission to the baptism of John. The voice from heaven: "This is my beloved Son. My favour rests on him" is the Father's public acknowledgement that Jesus is his Son and expresses approval for his mission.

Immediately before this, in the form of a dove the Holy Spirit anointed him for that same mission. In ancient biblical times priests, prophets and kings were inaugurated as such when they began to hold office, just as today ritually people voted in or appointed to positions of responsibility have some kind of swearing-in ceremonies. Most frequently the bible speaks of the anointing with oil and the laying on of hands. In Jesus' case the Holy Spirit anointed him for his mission directly through the imagery of the descent of the dove.

In the first reading today Isaiah tells us what this mission was: "Here is my servant whom I uphold... I have endorsed him with my spirit that he may bring justice to the nations. He does not cry out or shout aloud, break the crushed reed or quench the wavering flame. He brings true justice and will never waver ... I have appointed him as covenant of the people and light of the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon."

The Sunday liturgy for the rest of the year unfolds for us who and what Jesus was and how he worked out the role for which he had been commissioned at the River Jordan. From this day onward the carpenter of Nazareth became the light of the world and healer of its wounds. As the Way, the Truth and the Life he will show us the way to God, tell us the truth about God and ourselves, and be the source of life for all who believe in him. He will be the Good Shepherd, the friend of sinners, and the wonder-worker who will be asking us, "What do you want me to do for you?" just as he asked the blind man and the leper. And above all he will show us how much he loves us by dying for us.

The baptism by John set Jesus on the path ordained by his Father, a path that would end (or at least seem to end for in fact he had first to rise from the dead) on Good Friday when he cried out from the cross, "It is finished!" What was finished but the work that he had been given to do on the day of his baptism and even earlier when he was sent into the world?

The feast of the Baptism of Jesus, then, contains in itself the seeds of the whole life of Christ and is like the first chapter of a very exciting and inspirational book. To appreciate what the first chapter means, we must read the whole book. Today we are invited to listen weekly to him in whom the Father was well pleased, that we might benefit from the saving words that will bring us along the same path he took. If we make that journey, we can be sure that it will indeed be a happy new year. MAY IT BE SO FOR EACH OF US.