Baptism can conjure up all sorts of images for us: perhaps the Baptism of a child, the reception of a loved one into the Church on Easter Vigil, or your own entrance into the family of God. To be sacramentally Baptized is to do an about-face from living one way, to living another.
Advent ushered in the new Liturgical year, and we shifted from hearing the Gospel of Saint Matthew (year A), to that of Saint Mark (year B). Mark is the earliest to have written his Gospel, having recorded his account around the year 70. The feast we commemorate today, the Baptism of the Lord, comes from the very beginning of Mark’s Gospel. Mark sets the scene by including prophetic words from Isaiah 40:3:
“Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths’” (Mark 1: 2-3).
Immediately, Saint John the Baptist is described as having appeared in the wilderness, doing what was prophesied by proclaiming a baptism of repentance and baptizing folks from all over the Judean countryside. He quickly and humbly proclaims that the one who is to follow him will baptize with more than water in the Holy Spirit.
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Although not personally in need of the baptism of repentance, Jesus Himself is baptized by John in the Jordan River. Immediately following His baptism, a voice from heaven is heard saying:
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).
On some level, isn’t that a phrase we are all waiting to hear?! Perhaps from our earthly parent(s), but certainly from God at the end of our lives on earth: “You are my beloved son (daughter); with you I am well pleased.” Having been claimed and affirmed by the One Who loves us best, Who has held us close, witnessed our highs and lows, and rooted for us all the way. To have seen us through it all and be pleased with what has been seen, feels like the very way I hope to be welcomed into Heaven one day—or even with the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).'
And, it feels worth noting that God spoke these words to Jesus at the time of His Baptism—not at the end of His life, but at the very beginning of His ministry.
Several weeks ago I was running errands with my toddler. Slowly plodding down the sidewalk as she likes to walk all by herself now, she was looking in every window. At one point, she realized that someone was standing behind the blinds of this neutral-looking, strip mall office. She paused, waved, made funny faces, and generally delighted the woman behind the blinds. What I heard from my daughter next took my breath away. “I love you,” she said to the woman behind the glass. Unfortunately, she couldn’t have heard, and likely wouldn’t suspect that this passing child was whispering words of love to her, but she was! At that moment, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the Lord was doing that for me all day long, and in all likelihood, I do not suspect such lavishness.
Rather than waiting to hear the voice of God, reserved for some special meeting in the unknown future, what if this passage from Mark of the Baptism of Our Lord were a reminder to us that we are beloved by the God of all—not only when we finish things, but when we have the courage to start them, when we’re working unnoticed (or so we think) in a bland strip mall office building. It may be that we don’t have to cross any sort of “finish line,” or check a box before we hear these beautiful and affirming words from God that Jesus hears today.
Take some time in prayer with these scriptural reminders of God’s love for us:
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. // 1 John 4:16
For I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither present things nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord. // Romans 8:38-39
See what love the Father has bestowed in letting us be called the children of God! Yet that is what we are. The reason the world does recognize us is that it never recognized the Son. // 1 John 3:1
This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. // John 15:12
Understand, then, that the LORD, your God, is God indeed, the faithful God who keeps his merciful covenant down to the thousandth generations toward those who love Him and keep His commandments. // Deuteronomy 7:9
With age-old love I have loved you;
so I have kept my mercy toward you. // Jeremiah 31:3
The Baptism of the Lord is a beautiful example of God demonstrating perfect love. Scripture is littered with reminders that the Lord loves us, too. As we begin our short stay in Ordinary Time before the beginning of Lent, it feels appropriate to be on the lookout for this unexpected and lavish love that the Father speaks over us, his beloved children.
HIS WORD CHANGES LIVES
God is speaking to you through His Word. In this personal study, you will learn to hear God's voice by reading slowly and praying deeply.
Katie Cassady is a regular contributor to the BIS blog. She is a wife and mom to three little girls in Denver, CO. Steeped in theological reflection, beekeeping and motherhood, she is appreciative of any and all wisdom she can glean from those living intentional lives of faith. Find out more about her here. Read all of Katie's posts here.
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