Baptism of the Lord "Speak to the heart" Baptism was a strange event in the life of Jesus…and in many ways it is a strange one in our own. For Jesus it was the event by which he turned from the hidden life of Nazareth and entered into his public ministry of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. At his baptism, the Father and the Spirit proclaimed Jesus as their revelation of love. For us, baptism is essentially an outward sign of our entry into the inner life of God. All of us live, move and have our being within God. But for some reason God calls some of us to know God, as God truly is – a community – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. While God is one, God is also three persons – Three persons whose very personhood comes from being in relationship with each other. So what does the washing with water have to do with this? What does the repentance of and forgiveness for sin have to do with this? Why water? The water of baptism is a symbol and being a symbol it can have many different meanings. To me, our relationship with water can be a reminder of our dependency on God. Water is essential for life. Over 70% of our body is water. We consume it frequently, it passes through us cleansing us, we use it constantly in our lives yet we are not water. We have God within us, we need God and yet we are not God. Thus, water that fluid substance, is a symbol of our reliance on God. Consider the symbolism that water has for you and what it can reveal about your relationship to God. Why the repentance of and forgiveness for sin? Nothing destroys relationship as quickly and as effectively as sin. When we sin against another – be it God or another human, we break the bonds of life that flow between us and in doing that we destroy communion between us. When we repent, we turn, recognise our failure in love and ask from the other forgiveness. While sin can seem to be a solitary act, its effect is always communal but its healing through forgiveness offers the opportunity to not only restore communion but also for both parties to build up community. In baptism, we enter into the forgiving wash of God’s love. God’s desire is to encourage love in our lives and for us to reveal that love around us, as we in turn show forgiveness.
Sr Kym Harris OSB |