Lk. 3:15-16, 21-22
As we read today’s gospel passage, a question that could be lingering in our mind may be, why did Jesus receive the baptism of repentance administered by John the Baptist? If Jesus is the Son of God, what is the relevance of the baptism at all in His Life? We need to understand all these gestures of Jesus from his spirit of self-emptying. Jesus began his ministry by inviting people to repent and believe in the Good News. The exhortation of Jesus was different from his contemporaries because he was walking the talk; he himself received the baptism of repentance, inviting all to follow his example. If we think that this was the moment Jesus became aware of his divine identity it would be illogical. Why is it so? In great humility, Jesus allowed himself to be baptized by John. It was the beginning of a new baptism, a baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire that John foretold. When Jesus received the baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and the Word of God declared his identity that He is the beloved Son of His Abba.
The same happens in our baptism too. We receive the Holy Spirit and fire of eternal love in our hearts, the awareness that we are his beloveds. A person who receives the sacrament of Baptism is no longer the old person. This sacrament is unique among the entire seven sacraments; first and foremost it is the gateway to receive all the other sacraments and the second reason is that anyone can administer this sacrament even a non-believer. It depicts the universality of God’s love. As we celebrate the baptism of Jesus, let us think about our own baptism – though most of us were not aware of those moments since we were infants – let us be aware that we are sealed with the Spirit and fire of divine love in our hearts.