"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

- Matthew 3:13-17

Yesterday we read about John the Baptist. John baptizes in the Jordan, preparing all for the coming of the Kingdom, and the One, of whom he says, "He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." John has a great following, but scathingly refers to the Sadducees and Pharisees who come to him for baptism as a brood of vipers. He asks them, "Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" and reminds them that God can raise up stones as children of Abraham -- they mustn't rely on their ancestors and lineage but produce fruits worthy of repentance themselves. John the Baptist quotes Isaiah regarding the Kingdom at hand, and the One who is to come: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' "

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" John clearly recognizes who Jesus is, the Gospel teaches us. It is a surprising thing to him that Jesus wishes the baptism for repentance. John, as he has said in yesterday's reading, awaits Christ's baptism of "the Holy Spirit and fire."

But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. My study bible says that Jesus' baptism was necessary for the fulfillment of all God's righteousness because "by making the purification of humanity His own, He would wash away the sin of humanity, grant regeneration, and reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity." It quotes St. Gregory of Nyssa, who said, "Jesus enters the filthy [sinful] waters of the world and when He comes out, brings up [purifies] the entire world with Him." One can also understand Jesus' baptism as that which purifies and blesses the waters of creation for all the rest of us in which we may then be baptized. A third way to view what Jesus is saying is to recognize that, as incarnate human being, He lives a fully righteous life, according to the Law and the Prophets, and also submitting to John's baptism of preparation -- but with His divine purpose at work.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is an Epiphany (meaning "manifestation" or "showing forth") or Theophany (a "manifestation" or "showing forth" of God) -- a revelation of the Trinity. My study bible says, "The Spirit of God hovered over the water at the first creation (Gen. 1:2). Now the Holy Spirit comes in the form of a dove to anoint the Messiah, the Son of God, at the beginning of the new creation. Jesus does not become the Son of God this day; rather, in His baptism the eternal Son of God is revealed to all humanity. The Holy Spirit always rests on Him." So, on this day we are revealed elements of this reality that are always present to us; indeed, they are ever-present. They are also the signs of the Kingdom to come, the age that awaits. It is the beginning of the renewal of all things. The quotation is a composite of Ps. 2:7, "You are My Son, today I have begotten You," and Is. 42:1, "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One, in whom My soul delights!" My study bible says that the substitution of Son for "Servant" reveals the deity of Christ. The mystery of the Holy Trinity is revealed in the voice of the Father, the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism and anointing of the incarnate Son. In the Eastern Church, this day is celebrated as Epiphany.

What does it mean to ponder the living reality of the promise of the future Kingdom, and the age to come, in this scene? If we think of these images as always present to us, what does it conjure up? An eternal renewal of the waters of the world, a purification, a baptism of Spirit and fire, a blessing for the world that comes upon us all. Jesus does not need purification, but instead Himself purifies and blesses the waters for all of us. He blesses us with renewal, a gift of grace for all of us. And this is the act of God in sacramental life. Jesus takes on an incarnate reality -- immerses Himself in the waters of our world -- and returns to us life renewed, the waters blessed, a tremendous gift. He returns our world to us with renewed life and energy, packed with good things for us, awaiting our receipt of them. This is the act of God, and God's gift to us -- a renewal of our creation with life, love, energy, fulfilling its promise even in the things of our world. And so, we see Jesus' blessing and the gift of the Holy Spirit, anointing and infusing our world with its promises of renewal and revelation. Let us consider today the gifts we are given, and the exchange that we receive from God's blessing our world. In "fulfilling all righteousness" God makes a promise to us, and offers us more than we can calculate or imagine in return.