The sea of Galilee, a lush place, pours out into the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized empties into the Dead Sea. Nothing flows out, builds up salt
As we end the Christmas season, we have celebrated the birth of Jesus, the full manifestation of Jesus in the flesh to our eyes, now we celebrate his birth sacramentally, within the actions of the church.
The account of the baptism is found in all gospels and is the official kick off of Jesus’ ministry, however it is also the preview of his victory. In Luke’s gospel right before the gospel for today began it described all the pagan political powers at the time. This not only sets the real historic face of Jesus, but also shows that at the time of Jesus’ baptism, Iseal was broken and oppressed by the emperors of a pagan world, Herod a terrible king was in power. You have basically the set up of Jesus and the Emperor from different world and forming two different allegences.
All the people, the various people came to John for a baptism. For John this was a new reality that was to set people on the right course. He is also preparing for the sacrifice to come That another baptism is coming. Luke highlights two things: Jesus is completely immersed within the people there, the sinful people and their sins. Jesus comes almost from within them. He comes also carrying them. Then one of the key images of Jesus at prayer. One of the great highlights of Luke is Jesus at prayer: praying for his disciples, praying in the garden, praying on the cross. Now he prays while the heavens are open. This connects the water sacramental baptism for the forgiveness of sins, with the baptism of fire and the holy spirit of the cross. Jesus anticipates his death on the cross and makes a surrender to God. Going down into the waters, it symbolizes death and then life. He goes down loaded with the sins of the people. His submission is what opens the gates of heaven just as his surrender on the cross opens heaven.
How we see the reality of Jesus’ death on the cross connected with baptism, our baptism as well. In the old rite the person to be baptized had to turn to the west, the direction of the setting sun and the direction of the devil and spit to renounce his sins and then turn to the east to profess his faith in God, the new day and the rising sun. Jesus is born and his mysteries are born in the sacraments. We don’t have to undergo the death Jesus did, just as Titus tells us: His love appeared and appears not because of any deed of our but because of his mercy, we were saved through the bath of rebirth! It is the baptism now that saves us because it carries the graces of Jesus’ sacrifice.
We have received in our baptism these great graces and the rite of inheritance. Even in the church, baptism gives you all the full rights and power of any of the saints in heaven. Do we live it out? Do we let it flow through us as the sea of Galilee or do we let it stay dorment and become the dead sea.