Today is the Baptism of the Lord, the great Theophany, when God the Father reveals to Jesus and to us that he is the Beloved Son with whom he is well pleased. Standing among sinners, the sinless one begs John to be baptized, and John rightly responds that Jesus should be baptizing him! (Mt 3: 14). Humbly, both "allow it" and John pours the cleansing waters of the Jordan over Jesus. The event affirms that Jesus is chosen to carry out the mission of the suffering servant described by Isaiah: I the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice,/ I have grasped you by the hand;/ I have 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 dungeons, those who live in darkness. (Is 42: 6-7) Jesus went on and faithfully carried on his mission.
We, who have been baptized in Jesus now share that same mission. We too are the "beloved" of the Father. We too, sinners, stand among sinners, yet with the Holy Spirit and Power (Acts 10: 37) we can be instruments in giving sight to the blind, and freeing "captives" imprisoned in the dungeons of self-doubt, anger, self-pity, oppression and injustice. It too can be said of us, He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (Acts 10: 38).
Bro. Rene
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