Fr Jijo Kandamkulathy CMF
Claretian Publications
10 January 2021 – Baptism of the Lord – Year B
Mark 1:7-11
In those days, in the shallows of Jordan, John the Baptist was baptizing, a mark for people to turn away from their sins. Jesus walked into Jordan like everyone else, and John gently dipped him into the waters. As he emerges out of the water, John suddenly realizes that something else was happening; the waters of Jordan that washed away the sins of all, has been made holy by Jesus, the Son of the Father, the Holy One. Then people hear the testimony of the heavens from the prophesies of Isaiah, “This is my servant in whom heart is pleased” (Isaiah 53:1). People who believed that heavens were already shut and God is keeping a distressing silence, now rejoice to see the heavens reopened.
Those doors of heaven were shut and fire-swords were set up to prevent the entry of anyone back to that paradise (Genesis 3:24). Those are the doors that got opened now. The father knows that this obedient son is to take away all the blemish of humanity started from the disobedient Adam. From this moment, this son would keep those doors open. He would tell, “I am the door” (John 10:9). Now on, “anyone who wants to enter heaven can go through me.” He will not let anyone who can harm the sheep get inside. The door post that got smeared with his blood, repelled all evil away.
This beloved son also invites us to open our own doors of love. It is love that can open all shut doors. It is love that prevents people in our lives not to break the unseen thread of goodness and respect. If my son is not returning drunk to my home, it is also because he sees the door of love that he does not want to get shut. My daughter does not fall into an unwanted relationship also because, she sees this door of love waiting for her. My husband remains faithful to me, because he sees a door of love waiting for her. My wife does not walk out of my callous life because, she still sees the door of love waiting for her.
The Spirit also came in the form of a dove to rest on the one who was baptized. The dove would remind us of the dove in the Ark of Noah (Genesis 8:8). A dove was sent out to look out for a resting place and it returned to the door from which it was sent. Presently, that dove gets a resting place, on the ‘beloved son’. It is good to imagine oneself as a place for the Holy Spirit to rest upon. The waters of baptism have made everyone worthy as a resting place of the Holy Spirit. We would do well, if we do not send the spirit away from us for want of love and charity.
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