The Baptism of the Lord Sunday Year B - 13/1/2019 - Gospel: Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
The first member
The Feast of the Epiphany we celebrated last Sunday, God revealed himself to all the nations. It was the first manifestation that Jesus is the Only Son of God. The second manifestation happened at the Baptism of Jesus, by John, at the Jordan's river. At the baptism of Jesus, God revealed to us the three persons of God. The first person is the God the Father. No one saw God the Father but at the River they heard God's loud thundering voice from on high saying: This is my Beloved Son, listen to him; the second person of God is Jesus who comes to the world to redeem the world. The third person of God appeared in the form of a dove, the Holy Spirit, descended upon Jesus. The entire Trinity was present at the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus had no need of the baptism of John but he took the baptism to remove all the sins of the world: Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world Jn 1,29. Unlike today baptism the Church offers, John's baptism was mainly involved with the pouring of the water as the sign of repentance and forgiveness of sin. We are baptised in the formula handed down to us by Jesus when he gave the command to his Apostles that: Go out to the whole world and baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Mk 16,15.
There are differences and similarities between John's baptism and ours.
Differences
First, our baptism makes us to be a member of God's Church on earth and Jesus is the very First Member of the Church. Jesus is already God's Son and his baptism reveals his sonship, his identity to us that he is God himself. His baptism has nothing to do with he himself becoming of adopted God's son but rather through baptism we are incorporate into God's family by adoption and we are brothers and sisters in Jesus.
Second, our baptism wipes away the original sin and any personal sin; Jesus has committed no sin, he received the baptism to remove not his own personal sin but rather he takes our sins upon himself. The sinless One Who receives the sins of others and through His Passion he removed all the sins of the human race.
Third, at the first creation God Spirit hovered upon the water (Gen 1:2). At Jesus' baptism the Spirit came upon him and in that sense Jesus renews the first creation which was tainted by the sin of disobedience.
Similarities
First, at Jesus' baptism the three persons of God was present; we are baptised into the three persons of God: God of the Father and God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit. The Trinitarian God comes to our soul.
Second, at His baptism Jesus was proclaimed the "Beloved Son" of the Father; at our Baptism we become the beloved sons or daughters of God.
Third, Jesus received baptism at the Jordan's river to recognize John's mission; our Baptism empowers us to continue the mission of God's Church on earth.
Fourth at Jesus' baptism he takes upon Himself the sins of the whole world. At our baptism Christ removes our stains of sin by shedding his own blood on the cross to complete the acts of Redemption and we are asked to carry our own cross to follow Jesus.
Our baptism makes us to be sharers of the three fold offices of Jesus and they are: the role of a priest and prophet and king. We need to practice it daily and pray to be faithful to our baptismal calling.
There are differences and similarities between John's baptism and ours.
Differences
First, our baptism makes us to be a member of God's Church on earth and Jesus is the very First Member of the Church. Jesus is already God's Son and his baptism reveals his sonship, his identity to us that he is God himself. His baptism has nothing to do with he himself becoming of adopted God's son but rather through baptism we are incorporate into God's family by adoption and we are brothers and sisters in Jesus.
Second, our baptism wipes away the original sin and any personal sin; Jesus has committed no sin, he received the baptism to remove not his own personal sin but rather he takes our sins upon himself. The sinless One Who receives the sins of others and through His Passion he removed all the sins of the human race.
Third, at the first creation God Spirit hovered upon the water (Gen 1:2). At Jesus' baptism the Spirit came upon him and in that sense Jesus renews the first creation which was tainted by the sin of disobedience.
Similarities
First, at Jesus' baptism the three persons of God was present; we are baptised into the three persons of God: God of the Father and God of the Son and God of the Holy Spirit. The Trinitarian God comes to our soul.
Second, at His baptism Jesus was proclaimed the "Beloved Son" of the Father; at our Baptism we become the beloved sons or daughters of God.
Third, Jesus received baptism at the Jordan's river to recognize John's mission; our Baptism empowers us to continue the mission of God's Church on earth.
Fourth at Jesus' baptism he takes upon Himself the sins of the whole world. At our baptism Christ removes our stains of sin by shedding his own blood on the cross to complete the acts of Redemption and we are asked to carry our own cross to follow Jesus.
Our baptism makes us to be sharers of the three fold offices of Jesus and they are: the role of a priest and prophet and king. We need to practice it daily and pray to be faithful to our baptismal calling.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
