The Baptism of the Lord | LK 3:15-16, 21-22
“Christ”. We hear this name so often used in relation to Jesus that it can seem like his last name. Christ comes from the Latin word Christus, which itself translates the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning anointed one. Jesus Christ. Jesus the anointed one. Throughout the Old Testament, kings, prophets and priests are often anointed with oil. These individuals could be considered messiahs in a certain sense. After their anointing, they received a new identity and mission. When did Jesus, the anointed one, receive this anointing where he received his mission and identity?
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| Andrea Verrocchio [Public domain] |
In his Gospel, Luke makes the argument that Jesus’ baptism, which we have just heard narrated, was in fact when Jesus was anointed. Now, I know what you are thinking, “there was no oil at Jesus’ baptism!” You are of course correct. Still, Luke makes it clear that Jesus’ baptism should be interpreted as the moment of his anointing. Here are two pieces of evidence.
- Soon after his baptism, Jesus returned from the Jordan river to his hometown in Nazareth and entered a synagogue. After receiving the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus himself choose the first words that he would read: “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me” (Isa 61:1). At his baptism, the Spirit came upon Jesus. It was then, therefore, that he was anointed.
- In the second reading today from Acts of the Apostles, also written by Luke, this fact is made more directly. There we find Peter’s speech in which he makes it clear that God anointed Jesus with the Spirit at his Baptism (Acts 10:37-38).
At this baptism/anointing Jesus’ identity is manifested and his mission gets launched. In the first Harry Potter book (or movie if you prefer), there is a famous scene in which Harry first gets his letter inviting him to attend Hogwarts. Up until this point, Harry lived a reclusive life. Although Harry had some inklings regarding his identity, it was not clear to him - and certainly not to the reader - who he really was. Once Harry received that letter, his life went off in an entirely different direction. We learn that Harry is a wizard and slowly but surely his mission plays out in the following books. This is analogous to what happens at Jesus baptism. Up until this moment, Jesus has been living his “hidden life”. His identity was known only to those closest to him. His mission of preaching and healing had not yet began. At Jesus’ baptism, his identity is revealed in a very public way. The heavens open and the voice of God announces that Jesus is his beloved Son. In the Old Testament, the kings of Israel, were understood to be a “son” of God (Ps 2:7; 2 Sam 7:14). At his baptism, Jesus, the son of a carpenter and no earthly king, is claimed by God himself to be his son. Jesus is God’s son in a new and different way than kings were since his anointing is different. Whereas kings were anointed with oil, Jesus was anointed with the Spirit. Whereas kings could fall out of favour with God, Jesus is the “beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased”. This statement is a clear reference to the book of Isaiah (Isa 42:1) which we heard in the first reading. There God confirms his love for his Servant, who has been given an important mission. As we read in the Gospel of Luke, immediately after his baptism/anointing Jesus, the beloved Son/Servant, leaves his hidden life behind and begins his public ministry.
In a way similar to Jesus, at our baptism, we receive our own truest identity and mission. Do you remember the day you were baptized? It was a day that forever change your life. At our baptism, we become forever linked to Jesus. As Paul says in Galatians, when we are baptized, we “clothe” ourselves with Christ (Gal 3:27). When we “put on” Jesus in this way, his identity and mission become our own. At our baptism, each of us becomes a beloved son or daughter of God in whom God is well pleased. Let that sink in for a moment. We receive a title that was reserved at one time for kings. It was a title given to Jesus and is now a title we get to go by. We are sons and daughters of God. In addition, at our baptism, the mission of Jesus becomes our own. We have been given a mission to spread the kingdom of God. Wherever we find ourselves, in whatever job, in whatever state of life, we are called to bring about the kind of world that God wants. One that is more just and loving. Since we have been clothed with Christ at our baptism, we become God’s sons and daughters and are given the mission to be the very presence of Jesus in the world.
Our baptism is extraordinary day in our lives. For this reason, Pope Francis has often encouraged us to remember and celebrate the day on which we were baptized. Do you remember the day you were baptized? If not, find out. Write it in your calendar or put it in your phone. Celebrate that day on which you were given a new and amazing identity and remarkable mission.
