Baptism of Jesus

Christmas officially ends in the baptism of the Lord. St. John, the last of the prophets of old, is tasked by God to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah in the baptism of repentance done on the banks of the river Jordan. As Jesus wades into the water, the Holy Trinity is depicted in this scene. God the Father desires to be in communion with us in the person of His Son. The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, confirms the exchange of love between the Father and the Son. Sin has no place in this divine union. God’s action to commune, cum munare, with burden, is to carry the burden of our sin.

St. John describes Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His sacrifice on the Cross brings unity back between God and His creation. Thus, we become His children. However, do we realize that one consequence of this is to carry each other’s burden? This responsibility is ever-present in our existence of daily living, whether we are with our family or in our place of work or study. Moreover, this responsibility makes us realize that all of us are in dire need of help. We have got to help each other go to heaven. Sharing consciously this burden immeasurably pleases the Lord, since it is an expression of charity. May this be one of our resolutions this year. Trust the Lord, His grace abounds.

Let us go to the Blessed Mother for guidance in imitation of her Son.