A Moment Aside for 7 January 2021 --- for the Baptism of our Lord

 A Moment Aside --- 7 January 2021   for the Baptism of our Lord

 

                                                                  

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.  John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”  But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.  And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”                                                                                       (Matthew 3: 13-17)

 

     Jesus came to the Jordan to be baptized by John… and at first, John refused, claiming he was unworthy. Jesus convinces him and says this will “fulfill all righteousness.” I really wish I knew what this meant. Righteousness implies a certain type of behaviours, measuring up to some sort of rule or milestone or marker. Surely Jesus would be seen as righteous without this baptism, and maybe he took on this washing in order to accept the definition of righteousness that John’s disciples would want. This could also be the evangelist’s answer to the question “Why would Jesus be baptized?”, namely to be seen as righteous. It might have been the best answer he could give.

     Whatever the case, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan by John. As the embodiment of the New Israel, Jesus went into and through the Jordan, like the Israelites did, to enter the land of the Promise. As a symbol for all to see, baptism was the gateway, the portal through which Jesus entered into his ministry. His ministry went beyond proclaiming the Kingdom of God to actually bringing on the Kingdom of God. What we see is the beginning; what we await is the fulfillment of the promise of the Kingdom.

     Yet another gateway/portal is the heavens opening and the descending of the Spirit. Mark’s Gospel (our Gospel text for Sunday) tells of the heavens being “torn” open. Whether it is a simple opening or a more distinct tearing, a lot of energy is involved. That energy, that power is not only in the opening; it goes far beyond that. If the heavens are gently opened or torn open, they remain open and the power – let’s call it grace – remains available to those who live below those heavens. Grace is no longer the province of the heavenly places alone. It is now spilling out on the earth. If we go with Mark’s description of the tearing of the heavens, we might say there’s no mending of that tear. The torn opening still exists and grace continues to pour out upon us all.

     Do you remember your baptism? (I don’t; I was about two weeks old.) Even if you don’t remember, the heavens were torn open again for you. Not so you could ascend into the heavenly places, but so that which is heaven’s might come to you. It is possible to return to our baptism each and every day and realize that God has made us God’s own.