 In early January we often look forward to what a new year will bring. Therefore, this is a good time to reflect upon our spiritual progress, (something we should do often), since it provides an excellent opportunity to ponder how we might deepen spiritual awareness and grow in relationship with God, considering how we might better respond to His call. It is important to reflect upon the mysteries of creation, beauty, and most especially, who we were created to be. And it is important to remember that all of the answers we seek are found in God. However, we need to keep in mind that when we seek, we may discover more questions than we began with: it is wisdom to realize that the more we think we know, the less we really know, hence we continue to hunger for God to reveal Himself. Our trust in God must deepen so that we become content in the humility of simply being His child. And this is what the Baptism of the Lord is about: the humility of Jesus revealing whose Son He is, and His invitation to humbly grow in our understanding of being His Father’s child, too.  As humans we have found many different ways to try to understand ‘the way things are.’ The sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and physics, are important ways to understand the intricacies of the universe and how we function within it. We must recognize, however, that all of these, no matter how much or little we comprehend, are different ‘languages’ by which God reveals Himself. That is, together with theology they are ways to express God’s revelation. As the Psalmist says, we are “wondrously made.” (Psalm 139:14) The sciences are not opposed to theology, but rather are ways to describe that which comes from the Creator who designed the way it all ‘works,’ and yet, who Himself is uncreated: He simply is “I Am Who Am.” (Exodus 3:14) To facilitate our response to beauty, that is, to God, we have the arts, including dance, music, visual disciplines like painting, sculpture, and photography, as ways to express without words. There is also language, spoken and written, including poetry, prose, essay, or simply the common parlance of speech. All of these, while grand or poor, are attempts to express the inexpressible, our response to beauty and the revelation of God.  At its core, our desire to know is actually spiritual hunger. Therefore, we can marvel at that which we do not fully understand, and we can praise God for the magnificence and mystery of it all. This praise leads to a deepening of love and gratitude, since we deserve none of it, and yet the reality is that He created it all for us.* According to His plan, even after Adam and Eve destroyed the original beauty of Eden through disobedience, (bringing original sin into the world), God sent His only Son to save us from the power of sin and death, enabling the gifts which we are able receive through Baptism. As we just celebrated at Christmas, Jesus is the Son of God, true God and true man: He is fully divine as the Son of the Most High, and as the Son of the Immaculately conceived mother, Mary, He is also fully human, but without sin. So why then, did He begin His ministry by being baptized? He certainly did not need it!  Among other things, the answer lies in humility and in love. Jesus came into the world in the deepest humility; God ‘leapt down’ from Heaven to enter our world of imperfection, experiencing pain, suffering, and death. It therefore makes sense that also in humility He would do that which He wants for us to do as well. But further, Jesus changed the nature of John’s baptism so that it became a Sacrament which by the power of His Holy Spirit cleanses all sin and ultimately changes our status to that of sons and daughters of God. As St. Paul pointed out, we became adopted sons and daughters of God when we were baptized.** Thus, we share the Father with the Son in a deeper way through the Holy Spirit. This sharing opens our capacity for faith, hope, and love, the graces which come from Baptism. Finally, we observe that the Father’s voice was heard saying how pleased He was in Jesus; and the Holy Spirit rejoiced, too, as He was seen like a dove hovering over Jesus. (Luke 3:21-22) This was the way God wanted to point out that indeed Jesus was the One for whom we had waited and that we should pay attention, learning from Him as we become His disciples.  In Jesus’ Baptism, we can observe virtues in addition to humility. He was obedient to the Father in being baptized without the need of it; He exhibited fortitude in His acceptance of His ministry, opposed long before He said a word and ending in death; He lived with prudence and temperance in how and when He did everything; we observe justice in His teaching and in His final victory, giving insight into how God’s justice is different than ours. Therefore, through Jesus' baptism we learn the virtues we must have to grow in the Christian life, graces offered by the Father to assist us in persevering in the faith and in our call. As we reflect upon what we hope for in this new year, we can draw upon what we have been given, approaching the Lord in prayer that our hunger for Him might increase.  May we adopt an attitude of humble, spiritual hunger, knowing that it can only be fulfilled in God! May we continue to drink from the wellspring of our own Baptism, that we might grow in faith and hope especially when we are most challenged! And may we strive to grow in mercy and love just as Jesus taught! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Peace!
©Michele L. Catanese * The first chapters of Genesis reveal that we are to have dominion over everything, insofar as we are stewards, and we are meant to enjoy it all. ** John’s baptism was for forgiveness of sin, but he could not cleanse original sin; his baptism did not forgive in the sacramental sense. John's baptism was about repentance as he was readying the way for Jesus who could give us sacramental Baptism which imparts grace and changes our status to adopted sons and daughters of God. (See Galatians 4:3-7; Roman 8:14-17; Ephesians 1:4-5) Only God can impart grace, something John knew: “I baptize you with water, but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” John went on to explain that while he baptized with water, Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. (John 1:26-34) ~ There are many more reasons that Jesus was baptized though He did not need it, but I am only focusing on this aspect for the purpose of this reflection. Images: 1. My photo; The Baptism of the Lord, by Giotto. Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy. 2. Image; Hebrew Name of Yahweh-Adam Kadmon, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. If you would like to purchase a copy of this, go to fineartamerica.com/featured/hebrew-name-of-yahweh-adam-kadmon-183-william-hart-mcnichols.html 3. My photo; grotto garden in Portland Oregon. 4. My photo; Spey River in the Highlands of Scotland, near Grantown-on-Spey. 5. Print; The Cardinal Virtues, artist unknown. This medieval print depicts Patience and Temperance on the top, left to right; Fortitude and Justice on the bottom, left to right. 6. Oil painting; Louveciennes, Chemin de Creux (Winter Landscape in Louveciennes) by Camille Pissarro, 1872. Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. Comments are closed.
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