"Christ is baptized
and the whole world is made holy, he wipes out the debt of our sins; we will
all be purified by water and the Holy Spirit."
Today, the Christmas Season concludes with the celebration of
the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Liturgy offers us, in St Luke's
account, the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan...
The Evangelist narrates that, while Jesus was in prayer, after
having received Baptism… the heavens opened and under the form of a dove the
Holy Spirit descended upon him. In that moment a voice from on high
resounded: "You are my beloved Son. On you my favour rests" (Lk
3: 22).
The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is recalled and emphasized,
although in different ways, by all the Evangelists… It was held in great
importance by the apostolic community… not only because… for the first time in
history, there was the manifestation of the Trinitarian Mystery in a clear and
complete way, but also because that event began the public ministry of Jesus on
the roads to Palestine.
The Baptism of Jesus at the Jordan is the anticipation of his
baptism of blood on the Cross, and it is the symbol of the entire sacramental
activity by which the Redeemer will bring about the salvation of humanity…
There is a strict relationship between the Baptism of Christ and
our Baptism. At the Jordan the heavens opened (cf. Lk 3: 21) to indicate that
the Saviour has opened the way of salvation and we can travel it thanks to our
own new birth "of water and Spirit" (Jn 3: 5), accomplished in
Baptism.
In it we are inserted into the Mystical Body of Christ, that is,
the Church, we die and rise with him, we are clothed with him, as the Apostle
Paul often emphasized... The commitment that springs from Baptism is therefore
"to listen" to Jesus: to believe in him and gently follow him,
doing his will.
In this way everyone can tend to holiness, a goal that…
constitutes the vocation of all the baptized. May Mary, the Mother of the
beloved Son of God, help us to be faithful to our Baptism always.
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