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There was a man
sent from God
whose name was John.
He came to witness to the Light.
He was sent to prepare God’s people
for the coming of the true Light
who had already been present to his people.
He had been shining
in the saving events
and the great ones of Israel.
Now John was calling all Israel
to accept its vocation
to serve the Light of the world,
to turn from sin
and embrace in its heart
the will of God.
Jesus came to be baptized,
to express his acceptance to be Israel,
and so to manifest that Light
that was the depth of his being.
He told John that
they must do this
in order to fulfill all justice.
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This means that
Jesus embraced the Father’s plan.
He accepted his vocation
to be that Servant
who would take upon himself
the sins of the many
and reconcile us to God.
He went into the water.
As he ascended,
the Holy Spirit rested on him.
The Spirit was to guide him
in his vocation to the Cross.
The Father declared that
this Israelite was in fact
his Only Begotten and Beloved Son,
the Servant in whom he found delight.
Blessed is he who has come
in the name of the Lord!
Blessed be our own baptism
that has plunged us
into the death and resurrection
of the Savior,
and given us eternal life!
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