Immersion - Homily for the Baptism of the Lord (2021)

Last year, I had the blessing to go to Israel and the Holy Land and to visit the place where Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. The Jordan River is reached by driving along a desert flat, pock-marked by years of bombs in war. When I arrived at the Jordan, I was expecting a large, crystal blue river. Instead, among the scattered palm trees, I saw what us Midwestern folk would describe as a creek or a stream. And it wasn't crystal blue as I had imagined it would be. Rather, it was milky tan with desert sand. If you were to put your hand into the river, you would quickly be unable to see it. I understood why Naaman, the Syrian, would have balked about being washed in the Jordan's waters as a cure to his leprosy (see 2 Kings 5). And yet, this is the place-- a very humble place, indeed!-- where Jesus inaugurated His saving mission by highlighting and entering into Baptism.

Typically, when we think of Baptism, we think of water being poured over the head. But the word, "Baptism," comes from the Greek and it literally means "to be immersed." Which means that, when Jesus was baptized, it wasn't that John the Baptist simply poured water over Jesus' head; rather, Jesus was plunged fully under the waters of the Jordan. Immersed.

As I stood along the banks of the Jordan, I realized something quite important. Imagine it for a moment: Jesus enters into the Jordan waters. The waters are up to His waist. And they are milky and muddy. You can't see Jesus' lower half. And then, imagine Jesus being fully immersed in the Jordan, its waters totally covering His head. From an onlookers' perspective, all we would see is John reaching into the water; Jesus would have totally disappeared under the waters. Even from John's perspective, Jesus would have been totally buried under the water.

Had Jesus stayed there, He would have drowned. But John lifts Jesus from the waters. It is a movement-- from immersion to emersion-- to emerge, to be brought out. Jesus is brought out of the waters. And He is covered in the milky water, like a newborn brought from the womb, brought into new life. And in this moment, we see the Holy Trinity: Jesus emerging from the water, the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, and the voice of the Father speaking, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased [in whom I delight]."

In this moment of Baptism, Jesus was brought out of death and into life. He was immersed into water and, then, as He was brought out of the water, He was immersed into the new waters of the Father's love.

What does this mean for us?

When you were baptized, whether you were immersed or sprinkled-- when you were baptized, you were immersed into Jesus Christ, such that, the Father, when He looks upon you, sees not only you, but His Son. The Father's words, then, are not only for Jesus. They are also for you. The heavenly Father says to you: "You are my beloved child in whom I delight!" Let me repeat that-- and let it sink deep into your soul: "You are my beloved child in whom I delight!"

So often, we can be immersed in so many other things in life. Our own pursuits; our own thoughts; even our own lies about who we are. And today Jesus and the Father reveal who you really are deep down: "You are my beloved child." And, more: "I delight in you."

That is to say: your identity and value are not defined by what you do or what you have or have not accomplished, nor even by your sins. The heavenly Father defines who you are. And you are a delight to Him. You are His beloved child.

Admittedly, I easily forget this, for a whole host of reasons. Sometimes (and I'm probably not the only one here)-- sometimes it is easy to doubt this. I mean, Lord, how can you love someone who has done bad things?

In those moments of darkness and doubt, whether we intend to or not, we call into question the Father's words. "I don't believe you, Lord. I don't believe what you say about me. I don't trust you."

That's what our actions say when we seek other avenues of our self-worth, whether in possessions, popularity, worldly aspirations and definitions of physical beauty, and so on. "Lord, I don't trust what you say about who I am."

How does Jesus respond to this?

He says, long after this moment with John-- Jesus says, "There is a baptism with which I must be baptized. And how I am in agony until it is accomplished!" (Luke 12:50). 

But, wait. Jesus had just been baptized, so what is He talking about when He says there is a baptism that He still desires? 

When Jesus says, "There is a baptism [immersion into] which I must be [immersed]," He is talking about His crucifixion and His death.

Why does He say this? And why is He in agony about something so painful?

Because it is going to be the very proof of God's love for you. He is in agony until the moment when He can give you definitive proof of that Father's love-- and how you can really trust Him.

Let me explain that.

In the first baptism in the Jordan, Jesus is baptized in water. In the second baptism on the Cross, Jesus is baptized in blood. 

In the first, the muddy waters cover Jesus as a burial in death. In the second, Jesus died and is literally buried and covered by the earth.

In the first, John lifts Jesus out of the milky waters into the Father's love. In the second, the Father Himself lifts Jesus from the tomb into the glory of Everlasting Life.

In short, when Jesus is immersed into death, the Father's love for Him is so great that the Father will not leave Jesus in death, but will immerse Him in the newness of eternal glory and joy and life. This is because Jesus is the Father's beloved Son in whom He delights. And what Father would leave His Son in death if He had the power to save Him?

The Resurrection proves that the Father is a Father who actually loves His Son-- not simply in word but in deed.

And if the Father has so loved His Son, then will He not also love you-- you who are truly His beloved child? Love you-- such that, no matter what you are immersed in-- even death itself-- our heavenly Father can pull you out, resurrect you to eternal life.

And that you may believe this and live always in this, there is a final baptism-- a final immersion that our Lord gives you. And it is seen in the dove (the same dove that hovered over the waters at Creation and the same dove that held the olive branch during the time of Noah and the Flood). That final baptism, the final immersion, is the immersion into the Holy Spirit. It is from the Holy Spirit that we cry, "Abba! Father!" And we say that, crying out from our soul, precisely because we are His children.

This is so very important today, because there are so many people whose souls are crying out-- and who believe that there is no one to hear them. So many souls cry out and their parents don't hear, or their teachers don't hear, or their pastors or their political leaders-- so many cry out and do not believe, even, that God Himself hears. Or, if He does, that He does nothing about it-- which may be worse than not hearing at all!

But, brothers and sisters, Our Father hears you. And He tends to your soul. Because you are His child. And He does love you. And as proof of this, He brought out of the grave His other beloved child, Jesus-- proof to you and to all the world, that no matter what you are immersed in, if you cry our to our Lord, He will hear you and pull you out and immerse you in His love.

So, go ahead, dear soul. Draw near to our heavenly Father. Cry into his breast. Let Him comfort you. Let Him immerse you in His almighty and merciful love. Let Him fill you with His Holy Spirit. Let Him call you His beloved Child. And as you find your feet again, let Him fill you with His wisdom: I give to you Jesus, the Rock, your stronghold. Listen to Him.

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit and from the miry clay. He set my feet upon a rock and made my footsteps firm. And He put a new song in my mouth. [Psalm 40]