9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Thus we read in St Mark, and thus did St John Paul II begin the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
One of the most frequent words used in Scripture to describe Jesus is “Light.” Jesus tells the people that He is “the light of the world,” while St John reminds us that the “light” came into the world but the world heeded it not because men preferred the darkness which hid the evil that they did. But we are told, also, that the darkness did not overcome the Light. Here, in the first of the Mysteries of Light, the Light of the World is revealed, and as we know, though the world, in the sense of the worldly, rejected Him, He prevailed and will triumph; but here, for the first time, parts of the world see Jesus for who He is – the Son of God.
And yet how strange. Isaiah told us that:
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
But why does it dawn in this way? We are told in Hebrews:
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
So why, if He is without sin is baptism the first revelation to the wider world that Jesus is the Light of the world? It is precisely because He is like us in every way, and in being baptised He makes baptism sacramental. It is our entry into His Church. Just as Jesus submitted to the humiliation of death upon the Cross for us and for our salvation, so He submits to baptism; where we go, the Incarnate Word has already been.
We see, in the Baptist’s reaction a recognition that he is not worthy to baptise the Son of God, yet Jesus insists, and John submits his will to that of God. The result of that obedience is that the Heavens are opened and God speaks. We see, here, how close Heaven is and the way to it; if we will submit our will to God’s, then the Kingdom of Heaven is, indeed, at hand.
Jesus begins His Ministry as He would continue it, identifying Himself with the sinners and the outcasts. The Baptist, like us, questions when he thinks he knows the answer. Jesus is the one for whom he has been preparing the way, so there is no way He needs to be baptised. God knows better. How often are we like the Baptist?
In Christ’s obedience the eyes of others are opened and His identity confirmed. If we love Him then we will respond to His love, and one of the fruits of that is obedience. We are not left alone, the Spirit is with us always, and the Church into which we are baptised is His Church and is here for us. The recognition of who Jesus is was the beginning of His earthly Ministry, and for us, it is the beginning of our life in Him.
I understand the arguments of those who would restrict baptism to adults, but my heart tells me that if the Apostles baptised whole families, so should we, and I know from my own experience, that the mark of infant baptism has been a gift of Grace for which I have always been grateful to my parents, well, to be honest, to my mother, as my father could not have cared one way or the other.
But Baptism is just a beginning, a vitally important one, but unless we persevere, then its fruits will be limited. How often do we wish we could see more clearly, rather than through a glass darkly? But how often do we remember that too much light in this world can be used as an instrument of torture? There is a limit to the light mankind can bear. We need faith, for, as the author of Hebrews reminds us:
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2For by it the people of old received their commendation.
The Baptist is shown the Truth, we are given the assurance of hope.
So, we begin the Mysteries of Light on Jordan’s bank with the Baptist night and with the Lord setting us an example. We shall continue them with His first public miracle, which is another sign that the Dayspring from on high had dawned on the world.
All Along the Watchtower 
Is Grace imputed or infused? Is Baptism a robe, regenerative, or both?
My particular diocese has returned to restored order of the Sacraments of Initiation. Baptism then Confirmation and First Communion by 9 years old. Our Bishop’s reasoning is that the studies show that the great majority of kids see confirmation as an end to their faith formation at 14 years of age and never return. However, evidence shows if this comes earlier then the exodus is less. Our Bishop explained that there must be a supernatural faith in grace here that has been lost. And I think in many cases, in regards to adult Baptism, many of the denominations put a focus on conversion being more important than Baptism, which isn’t the cause in Catholicism or earlier protestant denominations.
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My own experience suggests it is conferred – at least I have no other explanation for why I have always known God is real and from the first hearing of the name, that Jesus is my Saviour.
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A tricky slope. The elect vs. the reprobate. Predestined vs. Double Predestination vs. All are given grace sufficient to be saved.
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Phillip, it is infused by the Holy Spirit:
CCC
1999 The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification:
Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.
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Sure, I know what the Catholic Church teaches, but I’m lining up all the various opinions theologically in Christianity.
Schoenborn in his Christological work talks juxtaposes Aquinas and Luther on the position of New Creation vs. Simul Sinner and Justified.
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I don’t know why. Seems to me that we are simply asked to state the teachings of the faith and to defend them if asked.
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Two reasons. Politeness for the non-Catholics here and I think the comparison actually makes clearer the truth to which even you allude iwth the Catholic Church.
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Then maybe you should engage with Jock on those points. I doubt it will go anywhere and he seemed to be interested in what Catholics believed and John did not give him a proper Catholic answer. For me, an unschooled layman, the truths of the Church are enough for me and to another person who has been Baptized it may have an effect on them.
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just in keeping with bosco being bosco, i will remind the viewers that in the new test, the person would get saved and believe first, then go get water baptized, not the other way around.its just an outward show. my own testimony , i was born again without dunking in water.
the unsaved who dont know the difference, think doing things will make them saved, or something. the CC is big on water baptism . it tells the faithful….just get dunked and your saved. well, jesus said get water baptized, so, here you go.
all churches and religions have their methods of salvation. i feel sorry for them. lots of decent people are going to wake up in hell. that is where i dont agree with god. but, i know him well enough to know how he would answer me. he would say…bosco, you know i gave them every change to open the door to my son, and they never did. they got tricked by religions and their methods.
jesus said our tears will be wiped away in heaven. gosh, but the zillions in hell will be there forever. there are not many people i wish that on.
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Chalcedon – so if you’re starting point for understanding Baptism is the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, then surely this establishes that, whatever else Baptism is supposed to mean (or do), washing away `original sin’ (whatever that is) is not one of its functions, since Jesus did not have this `original sin’.
His baptism was an act of obedience. It is of a sacramental nature; following his baptism, he withstood the 40 days in the desert and the temptations.
I’m interested in what you think `church’ has to offer infants and young children. I have been keeping my own son (now four and a half) away from church – it is very difficult to see what church has to offer for someone who doesn’t yet seem to have left the garden of Eden. Christianity can, loosely speaking be expressed as creation, fall and redemption – and some comprehension of the last two are necessary for church to have any sense.
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Oh I think it has a huge amount to offer. We are not Christians apart from the body of Christ. In my own case it taught me so much without my ever realising until later. It does not wash away original sin, nor does the Church teach that. Romans 7 applies. No, what baptism does is mark our joining the body of Christ. The rest, well, Grace is all.
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Really? What Catholic Church do you belong to, John?
CCC
1263 By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin. In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam’s sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God.
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If you think that means that we are freed from the effects of the Fall, then you belong to a church which is not Catholic.
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Not true. A child who (baptized and too young to commit mortal sin, dies and goes to heaven.
CCC
1272 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.
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I was referring to adults Dave.
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Of course, again. But you were speaking to someone who doesn’t even see the need for infant Baptism or believe in Original Sin.
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….. and I suppose that a child who is too young to commit a `mortal sin’ who has not been baptised presumably goes to hell?
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Nothing has been revealed as a teaching from Christ or in Scripture. Our teaching over these last 2000 years is that they will live in a state of natural happiness because we cannot expect them to achieve the beatific vision that is promised to those who have died with Christ in Baptism which is supernatural. But ultimately, God is the judge.
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….. so we don’t know about babies that haven’t been done. We presume that if they die in infancy then they will be eternally happy, but if God decides otherwise then that’s OK.
But we do know that those who have been done and who die in infancy *will* achieve a beatific vision, right?
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That is not what I said. All we can expect is that such children will live in eternal ‘natural’ happiness. But we cannot expect them to live in eternal ‘supernatural’ happiness; i.e. the beatific vision.
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Oh well – my head is beginning to hurt now. I thought I had understood you, but clearly not. Natural happiness? Supernatural happiness?
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Its OK, I’m getting dizzy too.
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….. more accurately – still hasn’t a clue what `original sin’ actually is, despite having carefully read huge swathes from the CCC posted by *you*.
Clearly it isn’t (as far as you are concerned) the propensity and inclination to do evil – since you have agreed that that is still there even after your `original sin’ has been `washed away’. That is what I thought it was – until you explained otherwise. Now I don’t know – and I think it’s a technical term introduced by Catholic scholars who are too clever for their own good.
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I did not say that we are freed from the effects of the Fall. As we still have concupiscience and freewill. But the mark is there if we make a good confession and we regain the full grace of that Sanctifying Grace that we receive at Baptism.
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Yes, the mark is always there. So is the struggle.
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Of course . . . you should have told him that.
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CCC
2520 Baptism confers on its recipient the grace of purification from all sins. But the baptized must continue to struggle against concupiscence of the flesh and disordered desires. With God’s grace he will prevail
– by the virtue and gift of chastity, for chastity lets us love with upright and undivided heart;
– by purity of intention which consists in seeking the true end of man: with simplicity of vision, the baptized person seeks to find and to fulfill God’s will in everything;
– by purity of vision, external and internal; by discipline of feelings and imagination; by refusing all complicity in impure thoughts that incline us to turn aside from the path of God’s commandments: “Appearance arouses yearning in fools”;
– by prayer:
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I am not clear what you think this means. It cannot mean we are free from the effects of our fallen nature or that we are made whole. If it did, what are we struggling against.
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Read my other replies, John. Did you, or did you not say that Baptism did not forgive Original Sin? That statement is false. As to the effects of Original Sin . . . you didn’t even speak to that idea in your response. I know about the remaining effects and I quoted it from the CCC.
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hmmmm…
Be Perfect as my heavenly father is perfect. Chalcedon, I’m a bit perplexed here on your take, perhaps we’re all talking past each other here. It’s true there is concupiscence; however, through God’s grace and the practice of virtues and the practice of the sacraments a person can hope to live a life of holiness to which they’re called because Baptism has washed away original sin.
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It should have said that it does not remove from us our fallen nature.
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Indeed.
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…. so at what age does the church start playing a useful role in a child’s life and what is this role? Like you, I cannot think of any time in my life when I was not a Christian; I do not remember a time when I did not believe that God exists and when I did not believe in Jesus as my Saviour, although it is completely clear that the understanding of what I am saved from and what the crucifixion and resurrection are all about in relation to my personal salvation must have changed.
But looking at what The Church is supposed to deal with, it does pre-suppose an awareness of the fact that the world is fallen, that hideous events such as the crucifixion can take place, etc …..
I remember towards the beginning of his book `The Crucified God’, Jurgen Moltmann was pointing to German Lutherans who seemed to like depicting the cross with roses around it – anything to minimise the offence of the cross. I agree that this represents an awful dumbing down (at a moral level) of what the faith is supposed to be all about – but a proper representation of the faith actually makes the church less suitable for a young child.
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Interesting questions Jock. And by the way, apologies for the asperity from some towards you. If it is by our love that we are known as His, we possibly all need to work a bit harder at that!
I think a short answer would be similar to that given in any other area of education, which is that we pitch it at an age-appropriate level. It worked with me. We concentrated on the Nativity and the miracles and the idea that God is love. Of course, in the process, our Sunday school teachers managed to fit in information about why healing was necessary, how bad things happened and why we needed Jesus. It was a perfecrtly ordinary Methodist Sunday School, and what stuck was the warming of the heart.
And yes, you are right. When we are children we reason and believe like children. If we persevere with the faith, then we move to doing it like adults. Alas, that often comes with the usual side-effects, but then we get back to original sin and its effects.
How simple it would be if our natures could be healed by the simple act of baptism. But then Jesus would not have had to suffer and die and rise again.
I am mindful, always, that He did these things for me. I feel, always have felt, entirely unworthy, but He disagrees. In a way, that’s the hardest bit of our faith for me – owning the idea that I really am worth Christ’s sacrifice. I believe it because I am compelled by the evidence and obedience.
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