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READY, STEADY, GO …………..

Unfortunately many Christians fall into the trap of ‘taking things ‘forgranted’; listening to the daily Readings from Scripture at Mass, day in day out, without stopping to meditate on what we hear or read, what has been done for our sake. Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan is a case in point. ‘Ah yes, next Sunday’s Gospel is about Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan’. And that’s the only comment some can pass, having taken it forgranted hearing it, year in year out.  

Many are those who never realise what it meant for Jesus, the ‘spotless Lamb’ to enter in the waters of the Jordan. Every person entering the waters of the Jordan to be baptized by the Baptist meant a ‘declaration’, admitting of being a sinner and who now wants to convert’. But Jesus was not a sinner, Jesus was not a convert, Jesus did not need the baptism, and yet ….. 

Like the heroes of old, Christ enters upon His career, His mission by the impetus of the Holy Spirit. This is the meaning of Theophany, but the Baptism of our Lord, taken as a whole, has a larger and more complex significance. The Baptism of Jesus meant four main things, it was not just being baptized like other men did.

This was for Him a moment of DECISION. Having lived thirty years in Nazareth, in the company of His family; a relatively quiet life, doing the daily chores, but He must have been conscious of His Mission. He had to decide when the time was ripe to launch His work. He was waiting for a sign. Jesus knew that when the Baptist emerged, the moment of decision had come. His was the decision to refuse or to accept, but He answered the summons of God.

Next came the moment of IDENTIFICATION. Jesus never needed Baptism, but He wanted to form part of the existing movement toward God, launched by the Baptist, so He wanted to be baptized to be identify Himself as forming part of the group.

Then came the moment of APPROVAL. Leaving the comfort of His Nazareth home He took the plunge, but He was looking for the ‘seal’ of approval by God. According to Mark the ‘approval’ came directly to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son.” This was an unmistakeable approval.

The final consideration was the SYSTEM, or the APPROACH used by Jesus. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the shape of a ‘dove’. Taking into account symbolism we have a dove, a picture, giving a sense of graciousness, gentleness. Christ system will be a conquest of love.