BAPTISM OF THE LORD – A

HE WANTED TO RISE FROM THE ABYSS

Introduction

Biblical sites are often tied to a particular point of theological significance. The sea, the mountain, the desert, the Galilee of the Gentiles, Samaria, the Jordan River, the land beyond the Lake of Gennesaret are much more than simple geographical indicators (often not entirely accurate).

Luke does not specify where the baptism of Jesus took place, but John alludes to it: "It happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing" (Jn 1:28). The tradition has correctly located the episode in Bethabara, the ford where the people of Israel, guided by Joshua, crossed the river and entered the Promised Land.

The gestures of Jesus contain explicit references to the passage from slavery to freedom and the beginning of a new exodus to the true Promised Land. Bethabara also has another recall, less obvious but equally significant: geologists assure it is the lowest point on earth (400 meters below sea level).

The decision to start his public life from there cannot be random. Jesus came from the heights of heaven to free people. He went down into a deeper abyss to show that he desires the salvation of every person. He wants to save even the most derelict, the one dragged by guilt and sin into an abyss from which no one imagines the possibility of escape. God does not forget and does not abandon any of his children.

 To internalize the message, we repeat: "And the grace of God appears, bringing salvation to all people."

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First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7

Thus says the Lord: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

In the second part of the book of Isaiah, a mysterious character enters the scene. The author calls him: the ‘servant of the Lord.’ His story is told in four passages (Is 42:1-7; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13–53:12). Who is he? Is he a concrete individual or a symbolic figure representing all the people of Israel? Biblical scholars have not given a definitive answer,and it is not that important anyway. What interests us is that in this Servant of the Lord, thefirst Christians immediately recognized the image of Jesus (Acts 8:30-35). How did this identification happen?

It all starts on that tragic Friday, April 7, in the year 30 A.D., the day on which Jesus was executed. The upset disciples wonder why the life of a good and just man has concluded in failure. They seek a solution to the riddle in the scriptures. In the book of Isaiah, they find the story of this Servant who, after an unfair trial, is taken away by the very same people he wanted to liberate. They understand that God does not save by conceding victory, success, domination, or the humiliation of enemies, but in defeat comes the gift of life. What the prophet had said about the ‘servant of the Lord’ was fully realized in Jesus of Nazareth. The reading today gives us the beginning of the story of this Servant.

His election is described first (v. 1). This word does not always have a positive resonance in us. It refers to the preference towards someone and the exclusion of others. We do not like to hear others speak about ‘the chosen people or the chosen lineage’because these expressions awaken memories of the tragic madness caused by the illusion of belonging to a ‘chosen race.’ The selection of God has nothing to do with exclusivism, particularism, or separatism. When God chooses a person or a people, it is only to give a mission, which is always tricky, burdensome, and unrewarding, and to ask a favor in service of others.

Sadly, it is easy for one chosen by the Lord to interpret any selection according to human categories and to claim rights to honor and privilege. The reading speaks of a character that, from the outset, is identified not as a gentleman but as a ‘servant’ in charge of completing a challenging task. Who will give him the strength? The human is ‘flesh,’that is, beset with weakness. When the Lord asks someone to perform a task, he also gives them the ability to fulfill it. To his ‘servant,’ the Lord communicates his Spirit, his irresistible force, as support.

It immediately mentions the mission entrusted to this ‘chosen servant.’ He is destined to bring justice to the nations (v. 1), to let ‘justice’ triumph in the world. This is the ‘justice of God,’ which consists of his benevolence, his salvation. The following verses (vv. 2-5)describe how the Servant will fulfill his mission. He will behave unexpectedly. He shall not impose himself by force, with legal pressure or threats of sanctions against those who oppose his provisions. He will not shout, raise his voice like the kings when they proclaim their programs or boast about their business in the square. He will not be intolerant or tenacious with the weak. He will not convict anyone. He will bring back one who did wrong instead of annihilating or destroying him. He will rebuild with patience and respect one which was ruined. For him, there will be no lost case, irrecoverable situation.

He will also be tempted by discouragement in the face of so much hard work. However, he will be firm and decisive in carrying it forward and will not withdraw in the face of any obstacle. Using images, the last part of the reading (vv. 6-7) develops the Servant's mission. He will be light to the nations, open the eyes of the blind, and free the captives and the slaves who walk in darkness.

An anonymous author composed the story about the Servant of the Lord. Then he placed it in the book of Isaiah about 500 years before the birth of Jesus. We do not know to whom the prophet refers. What is definite is that Jesus fulfilled all that was written in the book of Isaiah. He was the faithful servant of God. Almost all the verses of this reading are given and applied to Jesus in the Gospel (cf. Mt 3:17; 12:18-21; 17:5).

Second Reading: Acts 10:34-38

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered in the house of Cornelius, saying: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. You know the word that he sent to the Israelites as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

The reading shows a part of the speech given by Peter in the house of Cornelius in Caesarea. In the early Church, a much-debated issue divided the community. Could baptism be granted to pagans? Peter, at first, was quite reluctant, influenced as he was by the deep-rooted prejudice held by Israel that other people were unclean.

One day, while he was praying in Jaffa, the Lord revealed to him that no creature of God is impure or profane. In front of God, all are equally pure and privileged. All are equally called to salvation because he is the Lord of all (Rom 10:12). The expression ‘God shows no partiality’—employed in this passage—is repeated many times in the New Testament (Rom 2:11; Gal 2:6; 1 P 1:17) to denounce the temptation of dangerously projecting on God our discriminatory notions. It warns us against the illusion that the Lord treats people differently, according to the religious denomination to which they belong.

Peter's speech presents a summary of the life of Jesus (vv. 37-38). The expression "he went about doing good and healing all who were under the devil's power" sums up his mission. He is committed to opposing every form of evil, everything that obstructs human life. The work to be performed was complex and challenging, but Jesus was able to finish it because he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord and because God was with him. The time and the place when salvation started to manifest are also noted. It began in Galilee when John began to baptize along the Jordan.

With these words, Peter defines the new period of Jesus' life, which the faith of believers prompts them to call his public life "from the baptism of John until the day Jesus was taken away from us to heaven" (Acts 1:22).

Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

At the time of Jesus, many religious sects practiced baptism. The rite had varied meanings, but one was especially important: immersion indicated the death of an individual (his past life was wiped out, almost swept away by the current), and with the emersion came the birth of a new person to whom, naturally, a new name was given.

John was performing this ceremony to welcome those who would be his disciples. He baptized whoever decided to change his life to prepare for the Messiah's coming, announced as imminent. The first condition for baptism was recognition of self as a sinner. For this, the Pharisees and Sadducees, who thought themselves righteous and without sin, did not feel the need (Lk 7:30).

If that was the meaning of John's baptism, the reason why Jesus received it is not well understood. He did not need to change his life, and his actions could suggest the idea that John was superior to him. To clarify this difficulty, much felt among the early Christians, Matthew introduces a dialogue between the Baptist, who refuses to baptize one superior to him, and Jesus, who insists that ‘all righteousness’ be fulfilled. John must adapt himself and collaborate in implementing the plan of salvation of God (and this is ‘justice’), even if it presents mysterious and incomprehensible aspects about him (vv. 14-15). Even a spiritually mature person like John the Baptist has difficulty in accepting the Messiah of God. He remains surprised when he sees the holy one, the righteous one close to those sinners who, according to human logic, should be annihilated.

It is the new and puzzling justice of God. It is the righteousness of one who desires "that all people should be saved" (1 Tim 2:4). The Letter to the Hebrews author will call this consoling truth in poignant terms: Christ is not ashamed to call sinful men ‘brothers’(Heb 2:11). It is an invitation addressed to today's Christian communities to change those attitudes which show arrogance, conceit, or self-satisfaction for self-righteousness; and correct any language that may lead to judging, condemning, or marginalizing those who make mistakes.

After this introduction, Matthew, like Mark and Luke, describes the next scene with three images: the opening of the heavens, the dove, and the voice from heaven. He does not recall remarkable facts he witnessed. He uses well-known images to his readers, and the meaning is not difficult for us to grasp.

Let's start with ‘the heavens opened.’ This is not a meteorological report. It is not that suddenly a luminous ray from the sun was filtered through thick and dark clouds. If this was the case, Matthew would have reported a trivial detail of interest to our faith. He explicitly alludes to a text of the Old Testament, a passage from the prophet Isaiah that needs to be recalled.

In the last centuries before Christ, the people of Israel had the feeling that heaven was closed. Outraged by the sins and unfaithfulness of his people, God had withdrawn into his world. He had stopped sending prophets and seemed to have broken all dialogue with people. The pious Israelites were wondering: when will this uncomfortable silence end? Will the Lord not speak to us again? Will He no longer show his serene face, as in ancient times? They called upon him thus: "O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay and you are our potter; we are the work of your hands. Do not let your anger go too far or think of our sins forever; do not remember our iniquity forever. Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!" (Is 64:7-8; 63:19).

Affirming that with the beginning of the public life of Jesus, the heavens are torn, Matthew gives his readers a surprising piece of news. God has heard the prayer of his people. He has opened heaven and will never close it again. The enmity between heaven and earth is forever ended. The door of the house of the Father will remain eternally wide open to welcome every child who wishes to enter. No one will be excluded.

The second image is that of ‘the dove.’ Matthew does not say that a dove descended from heaven. This would also be a trivial and superfluous detail. He wrote that Jesus saw the Spirit of God descending from heaven ‘like a dove and rest upon him.’

The Baptist certainly remembers that it is not just the manna that came down from heaven, but also the destructive water of the flood (Gen 7:12) and the fire and brimstone that incinerated Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24). Probably the coming of the Spirit as a consuming fire for the wicked is expected. The Spirit, like a dove, rests upon Jesus: It is all tenderness, affection, and kindness. Moved by the Spirit, Jesus will always approach sinners with the gentility and the amiability of the dove.

The dove is also a symbol of attachment to the nest. If the evangelist has this recall in mind, he wants to tell us that the Spirit seeks Jesus as a dove seeks its nest. Jesus is the temple where the Spirit finds its permanent home.

The third image: ‘the voice from heaven.’ It was an expression often used by the rabbis when they wanted to attribute a statement to God. In our story, it is intended to define, in the name of God, the identity of Jesus.

The passage was composed after the events of Easter to respond to questions raised among the disciples of the ignominious death of the Master. He seemed to be a loser, an outcast, and abandoned by the Lord in their eyes. His enemies, guardians, and guarantors of the purity of the faith of Israel had condemned him as a blasphemer. The disturbing question was: has God perhaps shared this judgment?

To the Christians of his community, Matthew reports on the judgment of the Lord with a phrase that alludes to three Old Testament texts.

– This is my son. The reference is to Psalm 2:7. In the Semitic culture, the term 'son'did not indicate only the biological generation. It also implied the affirmation of similarity. Presenting Jesus as his son, God guarantees to recognize him in his words and works, especially in his supreme act of love: the gift of life. The Father has only to contemplate this child.

– The beloved. This refers to the trial Abraham was subjected to. He was asked to offer his only and well-beloved son, Isaac (Gen 22:2,12,16). By applying this title to Jesus, God invites us not to consider him a king or a prophet like others did. He, like Isaac, is the only one, the beloved son.

– In whom I am well pleased. We have read this expression in the first verse of today'sreading (Is 42:1). God declares that Jesus is the servant of those about whom the prophet spoke. He is the one sent to establish the law and justice in the world. To fulfill this mission, he will offer his life.

The voice from heaven thus overturns the judgment pronounced by men. It belies the messianic expectations of the people of Israel who could not conceive of a humiliated, defeated, executed messiah. When, in the high priest's house, Peter swore that he did not know the man, he was telling the truth; he could not recognize in him the Messiah: he did not correspond in any way to the awaited savior. How God fulfilled his promises came as a surprise to everyone, even to the Baptist.

Commenting on the Gospel of the Feast of the Holy Family, we said that Matthew often highlights the similar traits of Jesus and Moses. In today's passage, we find a new reminder of this parallelism: Moses received the spirit of God when, together with all the people, he emerged from the waters of the Red Sea. That divine power enabled him to lead the Israelites through the desert to the promised land. Jesus also received the Spirit after coming out of the water; then, together with the people enslaved to evil, he set out on the path to freedom.

READ: John the Baptist is a prophet pointing out the presence and demands of God. John preaches repentance. He recognizes the divine in Jesus and, in Jesus' insistence, baptizes him.

REFLECT: Repentance means to ‘rethink.’ Jesus is declared God's Son, and Christian baptism makes all the baptized children of God. How often must the baptized ‘rethink’how they are living according to the teachings of Jesus?

PRAY: Regularly, we need to pray for a sense of repentance. We need to rethink and change how we are living our faith.

ACT: Baptism was the beginning of a process that will be concluded in death. Each day allows us to live our baptismal faith by rejecting evil and sin and thus living in the freedom of the children of God.