Baptism of the Lord: Identity

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Acts 10:34-38
Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus went out to the Jordan to be baptized by John the Baptist.  I’ve always imagined Jesus walking across the hot desert sand over to the river.  John is there, calling for repentance and baptizing people, wearing scratchy stuff.  Right after this, Jesus is driven to the desert to be tempted and begin his public ministry.

Scripture scholars tell us that this passage is all about Jesus’ identity.  The Gospel of Matthew was written for a Jewish Christian community who cared a lot about who Jesus was.  When the heavens break open, we are being told of a new communication between God and humanity.  When the dove flies to Jesus and he’s called “my son,” we hear of his divinity.  When the voice calls Jesus “beloved” we hear a connection to the Old Testament, to Isaac the beloved son of Abraham, and to the messiah, the king from David’s line.  When the voice says, “with whom I am well pleased,” we hear about God’s servant described in our first reading, “my chosen one with whom I am pleased.” 

It was like a mirror.  Mirrors reflect reality back to us, often a reality we don’t see.  It was a reflection of the truth about Jesus, a truth that maybe many didn’t see.  We don’t even know if Jesus had seen that truth himself.  When those heavens opened up and the dove flew down and Jesus looked up, he was looking into a mirror and seeing his most true self.  He was seeing that he was the Son of God, the messiah, God’s servant — and because he knew who he was, he knew what he needed to do.

But Jesus wasn’t the only one that day.  It was a mirror for John the Baptist too.  He had been out in the desert for a while, we can assume.  When those heavens opened up and John saw the dove, he was also seeing his most true self.  It was a mirror, showing him that he was the one to prepare the way.  His baptism of repentance was getting God’s people ready for the Christ.  That’s who he was and he knew what he need to do.

The crowds were looking into a mirror too. As Jesus was proclaimed “my son,” they saw that they were the ones whom God came for.  They were the beloved children of God, the ones who God would be born for, and would die for.  That’s who they were and they knew what they needed to do.

In that scene, everyone could see the truth. They knew who they were and because of it, they knew what they were called to do.  There is something deeply comforting about knowing who you truly are. 

I wonder if Jesus found it comforting.  Being fully human, we can assume that he had some need for comfort, especially that most basic comfort of knowing who you really are.  Do you think it comforted him?  Did it give him the confidence and resolve that he needed to live out his public ministry?

I wonder if John found it comforting. He was out in the middle of no where, living on bugs and honey, which is bug by-products.  Had doubts worked their way into his mind, wondering if he was really doing God’s will.  And then the heavens open up, and he saw the glory and majesty of God.  Did it give him confidence and resolve to life out his calling?

I wonder if the crowds found it comforting.  After all, they were the ones paying the taxes to Rome, paying those high temple taxes, and following all those 600 and some odd rules of ritual purity so they could even approach God in the temple.  Did this scene, affirming the one who called for their justice, affirm them?  Did knowing that God remembered them, help them see the fullness of their own humanity?  Did knowing that God longed for their justice, give them confidence and resolve to live out their own callings?

Mirrors don’t show us anything new, they show us reality.  When the heavens broke open, God wasn’t making something new, God was reflecting the truth.  Jesus was already the Son of God.  God the Father was just showing us. 

God has put mirrors like that in each of our lives, that don’t make things new, they just show us the truth that is already there.  They reflect back to us who we really are and when we know who we are, we know what we need to do. 

Maybe it’s the people who truly love us, showing us that we are cherished children of God, showing us how easy we are to love, and how truly important  and valuable we are.  Think of people who love you.  What do they show you about yourself?

Maybe it’s people who encourage us when we are called to vocation, nurturing our charisms, helping us to learn and grow and develop.  Think of people who have nurtured and taught you.  What do they show you about yourself?

Maybe it’s the people who comfort us when when we have stood up for justice and have met with resistance, when we feel discouraged and need to hear that it was worth it.  Think of people who have comforted you when you’ve done what is right.  What do they show you about yourself?

Maybe it’s the natural world, showing us the delicacy, grandeur, and toughness of God’s creation.  Think of those times you’ve been a natural setting.  What does it show you about yourself?

Maybe it’s people who challenge us, who point out the lies we are telling, especially to ourselves.  Think of people who have told you uncomfortable truths.  What do they show you about yourself? 

Maybe it’s the beauty of art, the precision of science, or the power of technology.  Think of those times that ideas have excited your mind. What does it show you about yourself.

Maybe it’s us, here, as we name each other Christian, marked for Christ, disciple of Christ, apostle of Christ.  Think of our parish community.  What do they show you about yourself?

Look in the mirrors God has given you and see who you really are.