The Baptism of the Lord

C.S. Lewis, the author of the Chronicles of Narnia series, is right when he says that the doctrine of grace makes the Christian faith unique among all other faiths. Other religions hold that God rewards the just and punishes the wicked. The Christian faith also believes in the justice of God. As Saint Paul admonished the Galatians, “Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9). But we also believe that God forgives us our trespasses and treats us much better than we deserve. This is grace. This is unmerited favor. Baptism, which makes us God’s children in a special way, is a good example of grace.

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Entrance: Mt 3:16-17 – “After the Lord was baptized, the heavens were opened and the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove, and the voice of the Father thundered: ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’”

First Reading:  Is 42:1-4, 6-7 – “Behold my servant with whom I am well pleased.”

Psalm: Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 – “The Lord will bless His people with peace.”

Second Reading: Acts 10:34-38 – “God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit.”

Alleluia: Mk 9:8 – Alleluia, alleluia. “The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered: ‘This is My beloved Son, listen to Him.’” Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Mt 3:13-17 ­– “After Jesus was baptized, He saw the Spirit of God coming upon Him.”

Communion: Jn 1:32, 34 – “Behold the One of whom John said: I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

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         There are no preconditions for receiving God’s grace. There are no requirements. That is why even babies can receive the Sacrament of Baptism. God’s grace brings us salvation, but it also requires us to believe in God, to renounce worldliness, and to embrace godliness.

         God gives grace freely and unconditionally. But to remain in God’s grace demands a response from us. This response is … on the one hand … that we say no to the devil and to the temptation to run our own lives according to our selfish and worldly inclinations. Then … on the other hand … we submit to God and lead our lives in submission to God’s holy will. In other words, we who have received the grace of Baptism must endeavor to live up to our baptismal promises.

        On this feast day of the Baptism of the Lord, the second reading from the Acts of the Apostles focuses, not on Jesus, but on us as people who have been saved through the grace of Baptism. The acronym G-R-A-C-E spells “God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.” The salvation we have received is not in payment for any good works we might have done, but it is a free and unconditional gift of God. In Baptism, God wipes away our sins and no longer holds us accountable for them. Grace enables us to be faithful to the promises that were made for us at our Baptism ... and affirmed by us at our Confirmation.

         The greatest of gifts is ours in Baptism … we receive God’s very own life and love … we receive a life to overcome the death which is our inheritance from Adam’s sin … and we receive a love to empower and to win us away from love of self to love of God for His own sake and to our neighbors for His glory. The two greatest commandments: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." We “entered” the Body of Christ at the moment of our Baptism … worshipping members of the Son … pleasing and beloved by the Father … all through our Baptism. By the power of our Baptism, we render fitting and pleasing worship to God in our spiritual sacrifice of holiness of life, and most fully, through the Eucharistic sacrifice which we are about to celebrate.

         The scene described today in this weekend’s Gospel did not have to happen. Jesus Christ did not need to be baptized. He, the Holy One of God, sanctified the waters of Baptism. By being baptized, His intention was to reveal the love of God for us even though ... even when ... we have sinned against Him. By His own Baptism, Jesus leads us to repentance. Through His Baptism, Jesus identified Himself with sinful humanity. He emptied Himself of His divine glory and became one with us. Jesus’ baptism revealed Him as the beloved Son of God on whom the Spirit descended. The Lord’s Baptism opened up His public ministry, and He went about doing good. Baptism wasn’t so much for Christ as it was for us, inaugurating His mission to us and for us.

         As we celebrate today the Baptism of our Lord Jesus in the Jordan, we should thank God for the free gift of salvation through the grace of Baptism. As we pray, we should also earnestly ask Him for the grace to keep us faithful to our baptismal promises to say no to Satan and all his false promises and to say yes to God even unto death. Acting on our baptismal faith means that we honor God, we respect His Church, and we give Him the worship due to Him. In other words, prayer and worship are essential to our baptismal response to God’s offering of Himself to us.