January 9, 2022 (The Baptism of the Lord)
/“Merry Baptism”
by Fr. Dominic DeLay, O.P.
[This is the text composed by the homilist prior to delivering the homily.]
Are you confused that we’re still celebrating Christmas? And that we’re doing it with an adult Jesus, celebrating his baptism? Actually, the church has a long history of also celebrating Jesus’ water to wine miracle at the wedding at Cana as part of Christmas. His birth, the visit of the magi, Jesus’ baptism, and his action at Cana are all manifestations or epiphanies or theophanies of God. Some Eastern Churches make the baptism of Jesus the central celebration of the Christmas season, even more important than his birth. They call it Theophany, and it’s typically celebrated on January 6.
Besides sadly being the anniversary of last year’s insurrection at the Capitol, January 6 might ring a bell for many of you as our traditional celebration in the West of the visit of the magi, the twelfth day of Christmas. In 1955, long after the story of the magi had taken the focus of January 6 over Jesus’ baptism and the wedding at Cana, the pope instituted a separate feast for the Baptism of the Lord.
But some of you have noticed that with all this explanation of why the Baptism of the Lord is part of Christmas I’ve avoided a more troubling question: Why did Jesus get baptized? John the Baptist was baptizing people for repentance and forgiveness of sins. What do those things have to do with Jesus? The gospel writers, except perhaps Mark, seem a little embarrassed by Jesus’ baptism. Matthew has the Baptist protesting the idea. John doesn’t precisely mention it. Here in Luke it almost seems like Jesus’ baptism is sort of a footnote to the baptism of the crowds.
Might Jesus have wanted to associate himself with those crowds, beginning his ministry by humbling himself and dignifying the crowds? Maybe it’s no accident that Luke implies Jesus goes last. After all those people have left their sins, worries, and fears in the already-muddy waters of the Jordan, Jesus immerses himself in this soup of humanity.
If the gospel writers apologize for Jesus’ baptism, later writers of the early centuries make up for it with grand and poetic explanations. Saint Hippolytus makes the point about Jesus identifying with us with these words: “To think of…the unfathomable fountainhead that gives life to all being immersed in the shallow waters of this transient world!”
According to Hippolytus, Jesus does not only identify with us through his baptism but also sanctifies, even divinizes, us: “To give us a new birth that would make our bodies and souls immortal, he breathed into us the spirit of life and armed us with incorruptibility. Now if we become mortal, we shall also be divine, and if we become divine after rebirth in baptism through water and the Holy Spirit, we shall also be coheirs with Christ after the resurrection of the dead.” Jesus came to baptize us into his life, death, and resurrection, and he blessed the baptismal waters by entering them himself, just as he entered the world by becoming human flesh.
In today’s prophecy from Isaiah, we hear the foretelling of God’s suffering servant bringing those dwelling in dungeons into the light. The darkness of the January 6 insurgence and of the resurgence of Covid fear, sickness, and death touch us all. Then there are those who dwell in actual dungeons or other imprisonment. Jesus brings us out of the dungeon. He brings us out of the tomb.
Jesus brings us into the light. If John baptized with water, Jesus baptizes us with fire. Fire purifies our anxious minds, warms our cold hearts, fuels our bodies for discipleship, and lights the way.
Jesus brings fire and the Holy Spirit, who enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts, and imbues our bodies with the power to set things right in the world.
All this, yet did the crowds even notice Jesus’ baptism? Or did only he perceive the opening of the heavens, the Spirit coming upon him, and the voice: “You are my beloved Son.” If we look, we notice the ways in which Jesus comes into our lives, not just on Christmas Day but on today’s feast of his baptism and every day, Christmas or not. If we listen, we hear the voice of God assuring us that we are God’s beloved daughters and sons. The fire, the Holy Spirit, the voice claimed us at our own baptism and continue to bring us life and guidance each day. Merry Christmas! Merry baptism!
