Posted on 01/11/2015 8:13:33 AM PST by Salvation
Today’s feast of the Baptism of the Lord provides a moment to reflect not only on the Lord’s baptism, but also on our own. For in an extended sense, when Christ is baptized, so are we, for we are members of His body. As Christ enters the water, He makes holy the water that will baptize us. He enters the water and we follow. And in these waters He acquires gifts to give us, as we shall see below.
Why was Jesus baptized? It has been asked in every generation why Christ sought baptism. The baptism of John surely pointed to sin, of which Christ had none. The question has been well answered by the Father and many others. In effect, Christ descended into those waters; He troubled those waters, stirring them up to make them holy for our sakes. And by this descent, which points to the Paschal mystery, obtained manifold blessings for us. St. Maximus of Turin speaks of Christ’s baptism this way:
I understand the mystery as this. The column of fire went before the sons of Israel through the Red Sea so that they could follow on their brave journey; the column went first through the waters to prepare a path for those who followed. … But Christ the Lord does all these things: in the column of fire He went through the sea before the sons of Israel; so now in the column of his body he goes through baptism before the Christian people. … At the time of the Exodus the column … made a pathway through the waters; now it strengthens the footsteps of faith in the bath of baptism (de sancta Epiphania 1.3).
So Christ, as it were, opens a way for us by troubling the waters, just as He did at the Red Sea, and obtains for us victory over our spiritual enemies. He brings us forth to freedom on the other side. He is baptized for us. Ephesians 5:30 says, we are members of Christ’s body. Thus when Jesus goes into the water, we go with Him. And in going there, He stirs up the water; He troubles the water for us, acquiring gifts on our behalf.
Don’t be afraid of troubled waters; there is a blessing on the other side. A songwriter once spoke of seeking a bridge over troubled waters. Biblically, this is poor advice. For it is only by going through, or wading into, the troubled waters that the blessing is found. More on this in a moment. For now, simply observe that Christ wades in, troubles the water, and obtains blessings for us out of the troubled waters.
And what are the gifts He obtains for us? The texts speak of them somewhat figuratively, but clearly. In effect, there are four gifts spoken of in the Gospel descriptions of Jesus’ baptism:
Thus, at His baptism, Christ acquired these gifts for us, so that at the troubled, stirred up water of our own baptism, we could receive them. Consider well the glorious gift of your baptism. Perhaps you know the exact day. It should be a day as highly celebrated as your birthday. Christ is baptized for our sakes, not His own. All these gifts had always been His. Now, in His baptism, He fulfills God’s righteousness by going into the water to get them for you. It’s alright to say, “Hallelujah!”
This video I put together shows that God has a way of bringing blessings when He troubles the water.
He troubled the waters in the great flood to cleanse the earth,
He troubled the waters at the Red Sea to bring forth victorious escape and freedom from oppression,
He troubled the waters in the desert to satisfy the Israelites,
He troubled the waters of the Jordan so they could enter the promised land,
Jesus troubled the waters at His baptism and obtained many a gift for us,
And from the troubled waters of His pierced side came salvation and the Holy Spirit.
So don’t build a bridge over troubled waters; wade on in! There’s a blessing on the other side.
Unabridged title:
Wading in the Troubled Water Saves You, Not Taking a Bridge Over It A Homily for the Baptism of the Lord
Monsignor Pope Ping!
"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
**He troubled the waters in the great flood to cleanse the earth,
He troubled the waters at the Red Sea to bring forth victorious escape and freedom from oppression,
He troubled the waters in the desert to satisfy the Israelites,
He troubled the waters of the Jordan so they could enter the promised land,
Jesus troubled the waters at His baptism and obtained many a gift for us,
And from the troubled waters of His pierced side came salvation and the Holy Spirit.
So dont build a bridge over troubled waters; wade on in! Theres a blessing on the other side.**
BTTT!
[Catholic Caucus] FROM THE PASTOR -- Baptism of the Lord
The Bountiful Blessings of Baptism
"Why did Jesus insist on being baptized?"
Jesus, the Beginning of the New Creation: The Readings for the Baptism of the Lord
Feast of THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD [Catholic Caucus]
The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Baptism of the Lord: Our Power
Heaven, a Dove, a Voice [Baptism of the Lord]
Prayer and Meditation - Baptism of our Lord
Oh Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
Wow! When Msgr. spoke of the Exodus, and God in the pillar that led the way, I thought of the second crossing, that of the Jordan, with Joshua. That second time, as the Promised Land was finally to be reached, it was the Ark of the Covenant, which was the means by which the waters were parted. It contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments; an ephod of manna, the bread from Heaven which gave sustenance to God's children in the desert; the staff of by which God chose to perform so many miracles. The first Ark of the Covenant was the seat of the Presence of God.
And of the New Covenant? In the Ark of the New Covenant was the Bread of Life; the Fulfillment of the Old Law; the Living Water spoken of by Jesus to the woman at Jacob's well. As through the staff, God worked miracles that saved His People, so does God work miracles by the staff of the Ark of the New Covenant, in which God in all His Fullness became man, by the Power of the Holy Spirit: Mary Immaculate!
Beautiful.
AMAZING VIDEO!!!
But after all that tribulation, JESUS will return in all His Glory!
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