I am well pleased

Today’s celebration of the Baptism of the Lord concludes our annual celebration of the liturgical season of Christmas.  Having recalled the key moments in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth, today we focus on the moment when he was baptized.  Jesus’ public ministry began on the day when he was baptized (cf Lk 3:22).  Saint Luke tells us that after he had been baptized, Jesus was praying; while he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him ... like a dove and a voice came from heaven saying: ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.

As it was for Jesus, so it was for each one of us.  On the day of our baptism, the parish community gathered.  Our parents and godparents brought us to the church and a priest (or a deacon) poured water over our heads while repeating the words that are part of every authentic baptism: I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  This action takes place in a matter of moments, but it is a very significant moment in the faith life of God’s people.  Through the Sacrament of Baptism, the child (or the adult) who is baptized becomes a child of God, a part of a family of faith that traces its roots back to the time of Abraham and the prophets.

Through Baptism, we share in a common history that includes the words of the prophet Isaiah which we heard in today’s first reading.  At a time when our ancestors were searching and wandering aimlessly, Isaiah offered words of consolation and hope: Comfort, O comfort my people ... a voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord’ (Is 40:1,3).  In this way, God wanted to show us that even in the time of the prophets, long before the coming of Jesus Christ, He – God – was always close to us – to his people, encouraging us to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord.

But how do we prepare the way of the Lord?  What can we do?  We can begin by telling our children and our grandchildren about the day of their baptisms, how we celebrated and were filled with joy as we celebrated that significant moment in their lives.  We can also learn from the words of the Apostle Paul, offered in today’s second reading: Beloved, the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all (Ti 2:11).  The Spirit of God, given to each of us on the day of our baptism helps us to renounce worldly passions ... and to live lives that are self-controlled, upright and godly while we wait for the fulfillment of the blessed hope of ... Jesus Christ (Ti 2:12-13).

The Spirit of God is given to us on the day of our Baptism.  From that very day, God is constantly at work within us, revealing Himself tenderly and lovingly to us.  Sometimes we can carry on for years, living our lives and paying little or no attention to the presence of God, but God is always present, just waiting for us to discover the truth that he is already living and working in our hearts.  Let us pray this week for this grace: let us ask God to reveal himself to us, to show us how he is at work within us.  Perhaps then we will have a glimpse at the meaning of the Sacrament of Baptism.