This past weekend we celebrated the end of the Christmas season with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  By celebrating this feast day we remind ourselves that Jesus came to bring us salvation and he came to radically change how we relate to God.  We see these two important aspects of our faith in Jesus’ own baptism by John in the Jordan.  First, its important to remember that the baptism Jesus received from John is not the same baptism we receive from Jesus in the Sacrament.  What is the difference?

John the Baptist was trying to radically change how the Jews worshipped almighty God.  The average Jew in the first century (and even before Christ was born) went to Temple, offered their sacrifice, and returned home never actually converting their hearts.  Sacrifices were called for as a way to have our sins forgiven.  The only way we could ever actually make up for our original sin is to sacrifice a human person (since humans sin); but, God would never allow us to do that.  So, we sacrifice animals instead.  John the Baptist, like many prophets before him, saw this problem and he began to think of a way to fix it.  John comes up with a ritual bath he calls baptism as a way of “washing away” our sin and cleansing ourselves.  John is trying to re-orient the Jews back to understanding their own need for a savior - the Lamb of God - who John also points out to them in Jesus.

Our Sacrament of Baptism is similar in that it washes away sins; however, its different in that Johns baptism was just a ritual cleansing.  It didn’t actually forgive sins…it was meant to be a “devotional” (for lack of a better word) that helped Jews realize why they offered sacrifices in the Temple.  In the Sacrament of Baptism our sins are actually washed away because its our partaking of the Paschal Mystery (Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection).  We die to our old self, full of original sin, and we rise from the baptism font a new creation, clothed in Jesus Christ.  Many of the early Church Fathers would say that baptism is the only death that matters because we die (our old self in original sin) and we rise again (a new self clothed in Jesus Christ).  

This is why at funeral Masses we cover the casket with a white cloth to remind us of baptism.  There is no need to fear physical death since we died the death that matters in the Sacrament of Baptism.  Physical death is only a transition from this world to the Kingdom of Heaven (hopefully).  All of this was achieved through Christ’s own Paschal Mystery and continues to be done through the Seven Sacraments of the Church.  

Now, how does Jesus change our relationship to God?  By telling us that God is our Father.  In Jesus’ own baptism the heavens are open, we see a dove, and hear a voice say that Jesus is the “beloved Son, in whom I [God] am well pleased.”  Christianity is the only religion in the world who has a parental relationship with a God.  We don’t use this language as a metaphor or because it makes us feel good.  Jesus told us to call God “Father,” and the Father refers to Jesus as his “beloved Son.”  We too are God’s beloved children and he is our Father in heaven.  This is a radical change from the other ways Jews and gentiles viewed God/gods as master and slave; king and peasants; owner and servants.  Now the relationship is clear and shows perfectly who God is: Love.  Parents love their children no matter what.  Slave owners and Kings don’t love their subjects in the same way a parent loves their child.  Our God is our parent and he loves us perfectly.  

Friends, remember that at your own baptism you were created new and now you are Jesus Christ.  You become more and more like Jesus each time you receive him in the Eucharist and as you continue to offer your own sacrifices and continue to purify yourself through the Sacraments.  We are only able to be made new and grow in holiness and virtue because we are loved by our Father in heaven who loved us enough to send his Son as that ultimate sacrifice that takes away all sin throughout the world.