The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord draws us to the close of the Christmas cycle. The incarnate Son of God born of a woman is divinely affirmed as the beloved Son with whom the eternal Father is well pleased (Mark 1:7-11). At his baptism the messianic identity of Jesus is established and manifested.
God’s mighty servant
John the Baptizer is essentially preparing the people for Jesus, contrasting himself and his baptism with Jesus and the baptism that Jesus brings. Without hesitation John emphasizes his inferiority in comparison with Jesus, who is simply more powerful that he is. Glorifying Jesus, John accepts that the authority and superiority of Jesus are such that he does not deem himself worthy even just to loosen the strap of Jesus’ sandal, a menial task ordinarily performed by a slave. Next, John contrasts his baptism with the baptism by Jesus. His is the customary ritual and symbolic cleansing with water. The baptism by Jesus will be in the Holy Spirit, in the divine power that leads to the eschatological time of fulfillment, recalling the promise to the people in Ezekiel (36:25-26) that God will “sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities” and to “give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you.”
Perhaps as an expression of piety, Jesus submitted himself to John’s baptism of repentance. Of paramount significance was what Jesus personally experienced following that ritual: “He saw the heavens torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.” It is the advent of the time of fulfillment, with the heavens once more open and with the return of the Spirit. The baptism occasioned above all the divine affirmation that Jesus is God’s beloved Son who came in the flesh to carry out the Father’s salvific design for humankind, the faithful Servant with whom the Father is well pleased.
The Son anointed with the spirit
The chosen one filled with the Spirit (Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7) is the one who will establish justice on Earth; he is a covenant to the people, and a light to the nations to liberate those who sit in darkness. His mission is to accomplish God’s merciful and saving action to all peoples, “a broken reed he will not crush, nor will he snuff out the light of the wavering wick.” Because God is with Jesus (Acts 10:34-38), anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, through him is proclaimed to all without partiality the gospel of peace. As the Lord of all, he makes room for everyone in God’s work.
And the Servant filled with God’s Spirit in the midst of humankind evokes the response of all creation (Psalm 29:1-4, 9-10). It is the mystery of God’s loving presence in and through the incarnate Son, and in heaven and on Earth all must give praise. And God’s voice is creative; the world is launched in a regeneration mode as it speaks over creation and over the head of Jesus emerging from the waters of the Jordan. It is a new creation and new humankind in the making as Jesus anointed with the Spirit is commissioned to start his prophetic ministry and messianic work.
Alálaong bagá, the one who is born among us is the beloved Son of the heavenly Father, and his messianic mission is established at his baptism. He is the Servant anointed with the Holy Spirit and he brings to all nations with all power the gospel of peace and liberation, the promise of justice and the fulfillment of hope. And all cosmos must make a response. This feast of the baptism of our Lord is like a summary of the entire liturgical cycle, as it brings the community of faith at the threshold of our Lenten journey of baptismal renewal.
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