11 The Baptism of the Lord
Autor: Carlos Umdoistres | Publicado: 2012-04-07T20:52:00-03:00



11 The Baptism of the Lord  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Have you ever wondered why the
Gospel narratives of the ministry of Jesus begin with the episode of John the
Baptist baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan, which may seem to be such a
trivial incident? Or why Pope John XXIII made the Baptism of Jesus the first
Feast of the Ordinary Year of the Church, immediately after the Solemnity of
Epiphany, which may also seem to be surprising? Things became clearer to me,
when I noticed that the memorial in the Canon of the Mass in the Syro-Malankara
rite, calls to mind not just the death and resurrection of Jesus, as in the
Latin rite, but even his baptism in the River Jordan. For in the early church
then, as reflected especially in the oriental rites now, the Baptism of Jesus
was not just one more story in his life, - but it is a mystery, on par with the
great mysteries of his Incarnation and our Redemption (i.e. his death and
resurrection), - in fact connecting them both in a meaningful salvific whole.



Jesus was now filled with the Spirit (Luke 4:1)

As I re-read the Gospel story and
mystery of the Baptism of Jesus, I saw in it the capture of a vision and the
beginning of a mission, - a turning point, so to say, in the life of Jesus 'as
man', for the gospels tell us almost nothing about Jesus before that event. In
fact people would later on say in astonishment, "How can he do all this? Where
did he get such wisdom and the power to work these miracles? Isn't he the
carpenter, the son of Mary?" (Mk 6:2,3). For in the eyes of his countrymen
Jesus was like anybody else - there was nothing to distinguish him from the
rest of the village. So something did happen to him in the Jordan. It
couldn't be that Jesus came there simply to be baptized by John the Baptist,
for John was on the contrary preparing the people for Jesus through a 'baptism
of repentance'. But Jesus went through this baptism, which he obviously did not
need, to publicly identify himself with sinful humanity, becoming one like us
by taking upon himself all our weaknesses.

It was after this act of emptying
himself of his glory that the heavens were opened and the real Baptism took
place from above to prepare Jesus for the people. Heaven opened before him and
he saw the Spirit coming down upon him and He heard the Father speak to him,
"You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you" (Mk 1:10,11; Lk
3:21,22). In other words, he had a vision of his messianic task and an
experience of special anointing for it. For he was now filled with the Holy
Spirit, receiving the wisdom to know what to do and the power to enable him to
do it (Lk 4:1). He was now aware that he had received the authority from the
Father to preach the Good News of Salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit to
heal the sick and deliver the oppressed - and all could see the difference.

His very reading of the Scriptures
in the synagogue made them gaze at him in amazement. His teaching was
strikingly new in content and given with an unusual authority. All the sick
were healed by a mere word or touch. Those possessed by Satan were allergic to
and afraid of his very presence. Peter found it hard to believe that a man
could command the seas and the winds to obey him. He would later reveal the
source of such incredible authority and power to Cornelius: "God had
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the power of the Holy Spirit and that is why
Jesus went about doing good and healing everyone who was under the power of the
devil" (Acts 10:38). But this experience was meant to be an example to and
a channel for his apostles and his disciples down the ages.



And the believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4)

For what happened to Jesus at his
Baptism happened in a certain degree to the Apostles at Pentecost. Before that
day they were all so slow to understand the teachings of Jesus, so reluctant to
pray with him, whether at Tabor or in Gethsemane, so jealous of one another, so
ambitious for power and prestige, so suspicious even of Jesus, even ready to
use violence to save their own skin, - and that in spite of being with Jesus
for three years, listening to his captivating words and witnessing to his
marvelous deeds. But just head knowledge or human talent would not change them
or their situation. For that they would have to wait, Jesus impressed upon
them, to receive power not from below but, as he himself did, from above, a
power that was not something but someone, - the Holy Spirit. After nine days of
waiting together with Mary in prayer, the promise of the Father was fulfilled
on the Day of Pentecost, as the Spirit came upon them, like a mighty wind rushing
from heaven and filling the house, and as tongues of fire resting on each one
of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).

And immediately after their
Pentecostal experience, they threw open the closed doors of the upper room where
they were hiding out of fear and ventured into the streets of Jerusalem praising God unabashedly. That same
terror stricken Peter who denied Jesus when confronted by a mere maidservant
now dared to proclaim him boldly to the whole of Israel as the only Savior and Lord,
with startling results. That same doubting Peter who sank like a rock could now
heal the lame man with a faith as strong as a rock in the power of the Spirit
within him. No threats or punishment would stop him from speaking about what he
had seen in and heard from Jesus, even counting it a joy to suffer for him. And
under his leadership the first Christians were one in heart and mind, even
pooling all their resources together so that there was no needy person among
them (Acts 4:32).



So you too must be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18)

What happened to Jesus in the
Jordan, what happened to the Apostles in the Upper Room, has been happening to
the Church during all these twenty centuries, - but in a very special way
during the last four decades through the many and varied renewal movements in
the Church, in answer to the prayer of Pope John XXIII on 25th January 1959 for
a New Pentecost in the Church in order to usher in a Renewal that would be
manifested by Signs and Wonders. The Holy Spirit has indeed been coming down
upon God's people, as it did upon Jesus (Lk 3:22) and upon Mary and the
Apostles (Acts 2:4), and God is now with them in power (Acts 10:38), and Jesus
is working in them with wonders (Mk 16:20). But are we becoming more aware that
we too have received the same Spirit (Acts 19:2). Are we letting the Spirit
fill and control our life? (Eph 5:18). Let us therefore make our own the third
Eucharistic Prayer, "Father, grant that we, who are nourished by the body
and blood of your Son, may be filled with his Holy Spirit, and become one body,
one spirit in Christ."