It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
The Gospel of Mark is the oldest and briefest of the four gospels. Saints Matthew and Luke used it as the template for their gospels, copying parts of it verbatim and then adding their own material. Saint Mark's introduction is also very short, beginning with, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God!" There are a few words about John the Baptist; and, finally, the inaugural Baptism of Jesus with its spectacular events.
Mark describes John's ministry as "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." Perhaps we should pause for a moment to recall the "gospel of sin." This is good news! The Lord who delivered the children of his friend Abraham out of Egypt was not satisfied by their half-hearted gratitude. Called to be a holy people, they acted like the other nations, treating their Lord and Savior as other nations treat their gods. If they showed any honor to the Lord it was just a patriotic salute, a self-aggrandizing declaration, "Our god is better than any other god because he's our god." But they failed consistently to act with the holiness of God. They did not care for the widow, adopt the homeless orphans, or welcome the resident alien.
The doctrine of sin is good news because God's mercy is everlasting. He cannot ignore or overlook sin; that would contradict God's nature. But he sends prophets who challenge the people's habitual neglect of holiness. John the Baptist worked in that spirit. He offered a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." In those days, many people came down to the Jordan River recognizing their infidelity and professing a sincere intention to change; and Jesus was among them.
And here begins the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God: he is baptized as a sinner. How can this be since we all know that Jesus is the sinless Son of God?
Is he not our model of goodness? Yes!
Doesn't he set the standard for what we should be? Certainly!
So why is he baptised with the baptism of repentance? Jesus proves his worthiness in our eyes -- that is worthy of our love, admiration and worship -- and apparently in the Father's eyes, by becoming guilty as we are. He has taken upon himself our sins, guilt, shame and punishment.
Who could worship a god who continually showed himself to be superior? Whose example for our imitation is unimaginably far beyond our reach? You might as well ask me to run a mile in three minutes, or dive into a tea cup from a fifty-foot platform.
Our God has become one of us, guilty, shamed, grief-stricken; and yet confident of God's mercy toward him. He has heard, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
He invites us to love in him and to know the Father's pleasure. Or, put another way, when we accept communion with him we share the Father's pleasure with him. We hear it in our own communion, ""You are my beloved; with you I am well pleased."
The Gospel -- that is, our salvation, begins with Jesus' baptism and our baptism. Salvation, grace, freedom, the kingdom of God -- whatever you may call it -- is communion in the Father's pleasure. Looking at you and me, he sees Jesus; looking at Jesus, he sees us. We are inseparable because he has embraced us to himself. From this moment we follow him in the glow of God's happiness.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.