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The Baptism of the Lord - Year C

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, an event that tradition tells us took place in the Jordan river in a place that now lies within the Kingdom of Jordan. Having had the privilege of visiting this place, I was struck by just how unimpressive and ordinary it is. Don't get me wrong, there is great wonder in the dry, desert landscape and the abundant life that dwells there. And people of faith have built basilica churches and amenities for those who come to this site to encounter the Gospel more fully. But the place itself was not chosen for its breathtaking beauty or grandeur. 

The water is muddy, the banks are surrounded by thorny scrub, and at times the water level is so low that the word river itself seems generous. 

And when I compare it with the elaborate preparation that often goes into baptisms today, embroidered gowns, handcrafted candles, and photography and videography that would rival mum and dad's own wedding day, it jars me a bit. 

I wonder what we would have said if the water in the baptismal font when our kids were baptised was the colour of the Jordan? 

But maybe the ordinariness of Jesus' baptism is just what makes it so extraordinary. 

John was calling people to repent of their sins. And today the Church still proclaims that the sacrament of Baptism liberates us from sin. Yet, despite our belief that Jesus shared our humanity in all ways but sin, he still came to the murky waters of this desert stream to walk the same path to salvation as we do, but as a guide to those of us that need it. 

It is true that, in bringing the season of Christmas to its conclusion with the celebration of this feast, we are drawing together events that were thirty or more years apart. But for me this reinforces that Jesus not only shared in the vulnerability of childbirth, but continued to share our vulnerability as he embarked upon what would be the highs and lows of his public ministry. 

In the year ahead there will still be ups and downs, murky brown waters and moments of glory. And in all of them, God will walk beside us and raise us up. I just need to keep looking for him in the ordinary. 


Artist - Daniel Bonnell 

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