Sunday 3 January 2016

Baptism of the Lord

How can I compare my baptism with that of Jesus Christ? Christ came to the Jordan as an adult and requested baptism whereas my parents brought me to the church and requested the gift of baptism for me; both baptisms were with water however it was Jesus who made the Jordan holy whereas the priest blessed the water used on me; Jesus was baptised in a river whereas I was baptised in a font in a Catholic Church; both baptisms required someone else to perform it however in Jesus case he was John's superior whereas I was not superior to the priest nor did I pre-exist him; Christ was baptised by John whereas I was baptised by Christ through the instrument of a priest acting in the person of Christ the Head (in Persona Christi capitis); both of us were has a baptism of repentance however Jesus acted on behalf of Israel whereas my parents spoke on my behalf; Jesus had no need to be freed from Original Sin but I did; Jesus was baptised for the sake of propriety whereas I was baptised into his Passion, death and Resurrection; Christ embodied the people of God whereas I was made a member of the People of God through baptism; both of us are children of God but Jesus was Son of God for all eternity whereas I was adopted in baptism to have God as Abba - Father; Jesus taught his disciples to pray Our Father whereas my parents, baptised themselves, taught me; Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit after baptism with the Oil of Gladness whereas I was anointed with chrism after baptism to share in Christ's mission; Jesus received directly the declaration of the Father's love whereas I received the mediation of God's love through the Church and my parents; Christ is revealed as the light to the nations whereas I received a candle as a symbol of the light of Christ; Jesus was baptised and instituted the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist whereas I received those from him through the Church as a completion of the initiation started in baptism; Jesus was also baptised by his sacrifice on the Cross whereas I was baptised into his death so as to receive the promise of eternal life with him forever with all the other baptised and those who have loved God.


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