"I did not know him, though my reason for coming was to make him known,"

Wednesday, 1/3/18

The Gospels give us no actual report of Jesus being baptized, all we have is John the Baptist speaking about how it had happened the day before.

Back when John was still a teen ager, he had felt impelled to go out into the desert and to pass his years with the words of the Prophets. He was living on locusts and wild honey as he awaited a clarification of his mission.  

Then, one day while trudging through the wasteland, he was stopped by the sight of a perfect white lamb. He stood transfixed for he knew not how long, when he was charmed at the sight of a single white dove, slowly descending, and taking its place above the Lamb.

The beautiful purity of the lamb and the dove forced john to be aware of his own own imperfections; but along with that, he came to an awareness that the Lamb would come again; and that it was his mission to prepare his people to worthily receive the Lamb.

On the day that Jesus joined the throng of those filing out to be baptized by him, John sensed that same beautiful purity that had him turning away the day long before when he saw the dove come down on the Lamb.

When Jesus in his turn came before him, John protested that he should be baptized by Jesus. But Jesus said it had to be to satisfy all justice. Afterwards, John could not keep from marveling over how he had not recognized Jesus on his approach. Over and over, he kept saying, "But I did not recognize him.