by Fr. Tommy Lane
When we receive ashes on our forehead or the top of our head on Ash Wednesday, they are a sign of our repentance and our desire to turn over a new leaf during Lent. The ashes in themselves don’t mean much unless they are accompanied by our repentance. I think we could say something similar about the baptism given by John the Baptist. It was a sign of repentance and conversion before the coming of the Messiah and not the same as our baptism. John himself said this in the Gospel today,
I am baptizing you
with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy
to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16)
The baptism that we received was that baptism with the Holy Spirit, the water symbolizing the Holy Spirit, and so it was powerful. By our baptism, we were adopted as God’s own sons and daughters, and received the Holy Spirit. If someone is baptized as an adult—for example, the thousands and thousands of adults who are baptized every year in the US during the Easter Vigil—that baptism washes away all sins up to that point. That is because, unlike John’s baptism, our baptism receives its power from Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
To be certain Jesus had died on the cross, a soldier pierced Jesus’ side and heart with his lance, and blood and water flowed out. We have always understood the blood and water to symbolize the power and grace of all the sacraments coming to us from Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and the water from Jesus’ side in particular symbolizing the grace of baptism. That is the difference between the baptism given by John the Baptist and our baptism—John’s baptism was a water baptism symbolizing repentance, but our baptism was baptism with the Holy Spirit. As we heard in our second reading today
He [God] saved us
through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior.
(Titus 3:5-6)
Jesus, who was sinless and didn’t need to repent, didn’t need John’s baptism but as a sign of his solidarity with us, received baptism from John. Three years later, we see another act of humility and sign of Jesus’ union with us as he died on the cross but especially in his cry on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At Jesus’ baptism, the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and the Father said, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Three years later, on Calvary, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) What is going on? The Catechism of the Catholic Church (§603) tells us that when Jesus uttered that cry on the cross, it was not a cry of punishment or separation from the Father because Jesus was always united with the Father. Instead, Jesus was assuming our sin on himself on the cross and, on our behalf, as he took our sin on himself, he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Pope Benedict XVI, in a Wednesday audience (February 8, 2012), said that as Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” he was certain that his cry would be heard in his resurrection and was looking forward to our redemption. Jesus was not separated from his Father. So as Jesus was about to begin his public ministry, he underwent baptism from John even though he did not need it, and three years later as his life finished on the cross, he cried out in his suffering for us as he took our sins on himself. This is Jesus’ solidarity with us.
During Christmas we rejoiced in Jesus’ unity with us as he was born one of us to live among us. One of the Christmas titles we give to Jesus is Emmanuel which means “God with us”. We see God with us in Jesus being born one of us. We see God with us in Jesus undergoing baptism from John even though he didn’t need it. We see God with us in Jesus taking our sins on himself on the cross and crying out on our behalf. So, if in a moment of suffering of some kind you are tempted to despair or imagine God is distant, pause for a moment and remember that God is not distant. God is with us, Emmanuel, and understands if for a moment we feel like crying out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Whenever there is a storm in life with waves breaking over the side into our boat, Jesus is with us in the boat. Just as the Father had not forsaken Jesus on the cross—Jesus’ cry was really the cry of anguish caused by our sins—the Father does not want us separated from him. He wants us close to him, as our first reading from Isaiah concluded:
Like a shepherd he
feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
carrying
them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care. (Isa 40:11)
Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ baptism, Jesus’ death, are all forming one complete picture showing us that God is with us. Since our baptism was not just pouring water like John’s but also gave us the Holy Spirit, making us sons and daughters of God, God really is with us.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2022
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the First Sunday: Baptism of Our Lord
Deepening our unity with Jesus since baptism 2023
Jesus’ solidarity with us 2021
United with Jesus since baptism 2020
The baptism of Jesus: every grace in the Church comes from Jesus 2011
Sharing in the salvific effects of Jesus’ cross through baptism 2009
Like Jesus you were anointed with the Holy Spirit at baptism
Sons and daughters of our Father since our baptism
Year C: Jesus was baptized and we are baptized, Jesus prayed and we pray 2013
Related Homilies: Baptism changes the quality of our souls forever 2011
Professing our faith with the Apostles' Creed during baptism