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Gospel: Matthew 3: 13-17
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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On a sunny afternoon in southern France, Pablo Picasso was found sun tanning on a beach.
Immediately recognizing the famous artist, a young mother instructed her child to approach Picasso with a pen and paper, asking either for his autograph or a simple sketch.
It’d be worth millions!
Visibly irritated, Picasso took the paper from the young boy, tore it up, and penned a sketch on the little boy’s chest, instead.
When finished, Picasso said to him, “Now, tell your mother that she can never wash you again!”
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Herein lies the difference between what the little boy received from Picasso and what we receive in baptism.
While Picasso’s sketch might’ve lasted on that boy’s skin for a few hours, maybe a few days, baptism leaves an indelible mark on our souls.
As the Gospel tells us, the heavens are torn open and the Holy Spirit descends upon us. There is nothing we can do to rid ourselves of God’s divine presence within.
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The invitation is to live our lives accordingly.
Christians are people who forgive when it’s hard; who love after the feelings disappear; who serve their neighbors in need; and pray for those around them.
In celebration of our baptism, let’s now renew our baptismal promises – and our commitment to living them out.
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(One way to celebrate your baptism is to renew your baptismal promises, which you can do by reading the text below):
Leader: Do you renounce Satan?
All: I do.
Leader: And all his works?
All: I do.
Leader: And all his empty show?
All: I do.
Leader:Do you believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth?
All: I do.
Leader: Do you believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord,
who was born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered death and was buried,
rose again from the dead,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father?
All: I do.
Leader: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting?
All: I do.
Leader: And may almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
who has given us new birth
by water and the Holy Spirit,
and bestowed on us forgiveness of our sins,
keep us by his grace,
in Christ Jesus our Lord,
for eternal life.
All: Amen.
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Image credits: (1) Ascension Press Media, Why Was Christ Baptized? (2) Vecteezy (3) Remember Your Baptism, United Methodist Church