Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan is something of a fantastic moment. As he emerges from the water, a dove rests upon him and the voice of God, his Father, proclaims: ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’
As we go about our lives this week, let that message be for us, because that is what it is: God’s message to us. We are to listen to Christ, turn our attention towards him, because he is our way to the Father.
Just as the Father comes to Jesus at his Baptism, so we are given a new status when we are baptised. Yes, our baptism makes us into children of the Father.
So, speaking of fantastic moments, we too are sharers in the fantastic moment of Christ’s baptism. In our daily lives, we can remember that we are children of God, not only blest with graces beyond measure, but ambassadors of Jesus on earth. And, with that, we share the Church’s responsibility to be Christ-like for the world to respond to him, to accept him, to grow in love of him.
How are we participating in this wonderful divine plan, this call of our own baptism to live in Christ, as he lives in us? It is a question we can ask at every moment of the day. We should use this question as a prism to see everything through: our speaking, our relationships, our actions, our motives, our friendships, our desires. Bring everything into focus through our baptismal promises – everything that we do and are and aspire to – and we shall be well on the way to our fulfilment as children of God.
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
Glory to you, O Lord
In the course of his preaching John the Baptist said, ‘Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’
It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
