In baptism, we, too, are proclaimed to be God’s beloved. We, too, are filled with the Holy Spirit and chosen to live out the same mission as Jesus did. And in baptism, we are freed from sin. Jesus’ baptism described in this Gospel passage is a window to our own destiny, to our own call to live in Christ. Jesus’ baptism revealed that God loved him and had chosen him. Our baptism reveals that we are also loved and chosen by God and belong to his body, the church.
Jesus’ mission was to go into the world and preach that God’s love is for all people. Ours is the same.
How do we preach? We preach by our words and our actions, just as Jesus did. We evangelize by having a loving attitude towards those around us and by being truly present and attentive to the people in our lives. We use our talents to help others and our voices to speak for those who are voiceless. When we put flesh to the works of mercy, we, too, are truly the sons and daughters on whom God’s favor rests.
What does your baptism mean to you? In what ways have you been called to witness the love of God?
Adapted from PrayerTime: Faith-Sharing Reflections on the Sunday Gospels, available in the RENEW International online store.