Spiritual Fruits of Jesus' Baptism

The Baptism of The Lord


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Gospel of Mark 1:7-11

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.”

Do you remember the day you were baptized?  Perhaps you were christened as an infant and only remember the ceremony from your parents' point of view.  Maybe you were baptized as a teenager and remember vividly the what, when and how of that exciting moment.  Or, perhaps you were baptized as an adult during the Easter Vigil.

The Sacrament of Baptism wipes away the negative effects of original sin.  We are "made new" and connected more intimately with our Lord.  We become a member of the Christian community when we take our baptismal promises.  We are called to follow the Ways of the Lord, keep the Commandments, and spread the Christian Truth to others.

Whenever I read the story of the Baptism of Our Lord, I reflect on my own baptism. On Palm Sunday in 1985, I was baptized in the United Methodist Church.  I was a pre-teen who only months before felt the Holy Spirit calling me to become Christian "officially." My mother never forced baptism on me.  In fact, she allowed me to make my own decisions concerning religious practice.  She wasn't a church going person, but she never denied me the right to explore God in my own way.  I'm very fortunate my mother supported by spiritual journey.

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord officially ends the Christmas Season.  As we say bye bye to Baby Jesus until next Christmas, we begin to reflect on Jesus' public ministry. (Ordinary Time is once again upon us, but remember it's really Extra-Ordinary Time!)  

I think of four spiritual fruits which can be harvested from Christ's own baptism.  These four fruits better help us understand the meaning behind our own baptisms as well demonstrate to us just how much God cares for our souls.

Christ's Baptism:

• Showed us the way to humility. In other words, Christ humbled himself by undergoing baptism in the Jordan River.  He didn't need his sins purified because he didn't harbor original sin to begin with.  He allowed himself to lay low in the river, cleansed by the prophet John the Baptist.  He could have chosen to not undergo baptism, but instead felt like he should experience what all Jews did at the time.  

• Cleansed away the stain of original sin transforming us into children of God.    The Sacrament of Baptism cleanses us from the effects of original sin, uniting us as children of God.  We no longer have to worry about Adam and Eve's sin since it's wiped away by the healing effects of water.  This doesn't mean we are become sin-free.  We will still fall into temptation.  We will still commit sin.  This is why the Church provides us with the Sacrament of Reconciliation so we can receive an outpouring of grace, taking us back to the state we were in after our baptism.

• Opened the door to repentance for others preparing for baptism.   It takes a lot of consideration and courage to undergo baptism.  It is a huge life-long commitment.  Being willing to repent from our sins, and live a life devoted to Christ, is no easy undertaking.  However, when we become newly baptized we announce our enduring faith and belief in God.  Just knowing that God constantly forgives us and pours out is mercy brings about immense comfort.

• Revealed to us The Holy Trinity.  Not very many scripture passages in the New Testament pinpoint to all three images of the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This is what makes the Baptism of Jesus even more special.  The Spirit in the form of a dove flies over Jesus as the Father proclaims, "You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased."  This makes me think of the parents and Godparents of an infant.  They are so pleased to see their child baptized by the minister.  They realize the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is present in the Church, in baptism ceremony, and in the smiles of family and friends in attendance.

This week take a moment this to reflect on your own baptism and thank God for the tremendous gift he gave to His Church!

-J.