Weekend Reflections for 1/10/20

The Baptism of Christ

Besides the circumstances surrounding the birth of Christ, the few years in exile in Egypt and his being lost in the temple at the age of 12, we know little else about 30 years or so of his life in Nazareth. Being the son of Joseph the carpenter we naturally assume that he acquired this trade as well.  But without describing how or why the Gospels tell us that he leaves Nazareth and sets out some string to be with John the Baptist.

He's beginning has public life; he's beginning a way and manner of living seemingly almost completely foreign to him. But he somehow realizes that  his time in Nazareth is over and that is he's to begin a completely new way of life proclaiming the kingdom of God. Even in the remote town of Nazareth he would've heard about John's preaching about this kingdom. It seems he would've well wondered about how this applies to him and his own mission in life.

Certainly Mary and Joseph discussed with him the unique and unusual circumstances of his conception and birth. This event in the life of Christ can provides us with rich material for imaginative prayer. There is Jesus trying to explain to Mary and his family his leaving, what is he going to do, how will John the Baptist sit in with this new venture, will Jesus become one of John's disciples?

You can see Jesus making the journey to the Jordan River where John is preaching and baptizing. How he too must've pondered all of this in his prayed and talked with His father about it. Jesus in his humanity must have had many more questions than answers at this time.

Some he could find out from John: how he began his public ministry, how he decided where to preach, how he gathered disciples, how he dealt with the religious authorities who questioned what he was about? Most importantly Jesus would often wondered and asked himself “Am I going about this in the right way?”

Jesus arrives at the Jordan; he sees all the people listening intently to John, and then they approach is to be baptized. Jesus realizes that he too should be among those baptized. John, who had first sensed the holiness of Jesus while in the womb of Elizabeth, now senses that same holiness. John is confused; he hesitates; but then Jesus assures him that he too should be among those being baptized.

What happens next is the Father's answer to Jesus' questions and prayers: he is the father's beloved son in whom he is well pleased.

That evening as Jesus retired you can well imagine him resting peacefully knowing that he is beginning the work of the kingdom as his Father desires, and that he is well beloved in doing this. After such a momentous few days what a wonderful manner to end the day and slip off into peaceful sleep.

Jim Blumeyer, S.J.