A few weeks back, I talked about the benefits of taking a daily cold shower. One major benefit of taking a cold shower is learning to face your fears. We seem to revisit this theme once again as we go to the banks of the Jordan to witness the Baptism of the Lord.
Because of Jesus’ sinless nature, this water baptism might almost seem like a grave injustice to Him, or at the very least, an affront to his Divine dignity. Even John protests and says this is not how it is supposed to be! But let’s take a deeper dive shall we and discover the reason why our Lord submitted to John‘s baptism. It’s twofold. First, we recognize that this baptism is in fact a foreshadowing of His own passion, death and resurrection. Jesus shows us His divine intention which is this: He chooses not to run away from violence, but to embrace it, so as to vanquish it. Secondly, let us recognize that when we embrace the sufferings and the tribulations in our own lives, this is when the voice of God can be clearly heard. At the Jordan, after Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and the voice of the Father is heard saying: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” So, the simple yet profound lesson in our gospel today is this: When we patiently embrace the crosses and sufferings in our lives, then we too become God’s beloved sons and daughters in whom He is well pleased.