The Baptism of Jesus

Monday, January 7, 2019

For ten years I printed a homily each day until last month when two long hospital stays brought it to an end. Thank you for following along with me and joining me again on these reflections.

The gospel today pictures Jesus being baptized by John in the Jordan River, and it might start us wondering why Jesus even needed to be baptized.

Seems to me that we have used the notion of being baptized in five different ways.

First, in today's gospel, it was God's way of introducing his son to the world. "And God says, this is my beloved son, listen to him."

Second, being baptized in the Baptist Church consisted in believers bearing a conviction that they are called by God.

Third, in the Catholic Church that I grew up in, baptism was seen as befitting the believer to speak with God by a practice of sanctifying grace.

Fourth, in the early Christian Church, baptism meant joining with Jesus in making death to sin.

Fifth, the baptism pool stood for joining in the grave of Jesus.