The Baptism In the Jordan
The first mystery tells us Jesus is Baptized by John in the Jordan River. In those days Baptism was a ritual bathing that washed away the old ways and brought with it a new life of repentance and adherence to God’s commands. John the Baptist spent much of his adult life as a hermit, fasting, praying, and opening himself to God’s will. When it was his time to fulfill his part in God’s plan, he left his self-imposed exile to preach to the people. He had the same authority as the other prophets before him, and the people came from far and wide to listen to his word. After all, he brought words of hope: Prepare the way of the Lord!
The people had been waiting for the savior to come and restore Israel to its former greatness for generations. They sought to amend their fallen ways and make themselves ready for the coming of the redeemer. John preached and Baptized until one day he saw his cousin in line.
Let’s refer back to our last episode when the babies greeted each other with full self-awareness from the sanctuary of the womb. They knew their own roles in the Father’s plan, and they knew the other’s role. They greeted each other with great joy, with John leaping in Elizabeth’s womb.
John, seeing his cousin standing before him at the Jordan, was aware of two things at this moment: he had no authority to Baptize the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE with water, and his time as prophet had ended. Jesus was here. His time had come.
Jesus assured John that the Baptism was necessary, much to John’s dismay. John performed the ritual, and the Heavens opened. One would think something like this might frighten passer-bys. To the contrary, it seemed to make Jesus very popular outside His home town. The Holy Spirit descended like a dove and came to rest above the head of Jesus. The Father’s voice boomed from the sky, “THIS IS MY SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”
And there we have it, the Triune God plain as day at the Jordan River reinforcing the acts of a prophet and taking these actions to realms only God can offer. Baptism is good. Second Person of the Triune God walking among us is better. Where was a Starbucks when you needed one?
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