Prepare the way of the
Lord! We hear in this Sunday's reading from Isaiah of God
exhorting the people of Jerusalem to prepare
the way of the Lord, to clear a path to belief: belief in salvation, belief in an end to
servitude, belief in renewed relationship with God. God is stating his ever-present openness to relationship,
his willingness to carry them in his
bosom, to care for and protect his people as they return from exile in
Babylon.
Similarly, the job of John the Baptist was to clear that
same path to belief, to prepare the people for the coming of one mightier than himself. John’s baptism of repentance allows all to
begin to open to the baptism Jesus himself will bring: He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
The baptism that Jesus brings is transformative; it involves
purgation and purification. Jesus comes
to restore relationship yet again, but this time once and for all; he is
baptized by John to inaugurate his service to mankind, and to give witness to his own humanity so that he might begin the path to salvation that will end with his death. As the Letter to Titus makes
clear, Jesus came to cleanse for himself
a people as his own; we are saved through
the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. And with salvation comes responsibility.
Our own baptism transforms us, and each time we renew our baptismal vows, we are given a new way
of looking at life, and of living that life.
The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus reminds us to live constantly as
though we are in union with God; although full union will come only in heaven,
we need to keep striving for union on earth.
And that means living as though we are loved infinitely, as though that
love has transformed us and continues to transform us, so that we ourselves can
love and transform others by that love. Like
the prophets, like John the Baptist, we must try to give witness to salvation
in our lives through the love we show for one another. Prepare the way of the Lord!
This reflection is based on notes from Fr. Pat's Thursday Scripture class.
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