A reading from the gospel according to Mark 1:7-11

7 This is what John the Baptist proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
8 I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9 It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
10 On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
11 And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Reflection

The baptism as offered and performed by John was a symbol of repentance. Jesus is God and therefore sinless. So why did He have to undergo the baptism of John? He is the Word made flesh, the incarnate God who came to dwell among us. He does not need to repent but He wanted to show that He is fully and truly one of us, to be like us in everything except sin (Hebrews 2:17, 4:15). By His baptism, Jesus has demonstrated his compassion for us frail humans and what a better way to start His public ministry than to be with the sinful people, the target of His salvific mission?

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At the moment of Jesus’ Baptism, the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit appeared in the same scene. The identity of Jesus as part of the inseparable Holy Trinity was revealed. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him and the voice of the Father was heard declaring that Jesus is His beloved Son and in whom He is well pleased.

As we begin our lives in the new year, may the Holy Spirit guide and empower us to do our mission more vigorously and at the same time to make our lives well-pleasing to God our Father.

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