By Fr. Roy Cimagala
IF we wonder why Christ had to be baptized by St. John the Baptist, the quick answer is that Christ wanted to institute the Sacrament of Baptism through which we would be recreated from our wounded human nature due to the sin of our first parents to a new man, a redeemed man in Christ where the Spirit of God gets to animate our spiritual soul.
Thus, St. John the Baptist said, “I indeed baptize you with water; but there shall come one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to loose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” (Lk 3,16)
Now that with baptism we receive the mold of Christ our redeemer in us, we need to flesh it out. And the second reading (cfr. Titus 2,11-14.3,4-7) of the Mass of the Feast of the Christ’s Baptism which ends the Christmas season gives us an idea of what to do and how we ought to be.
St. Paul tells it to us clearly: “For the grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men; instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly and justly, and godly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works.” (Titus 2,11-14)
We need to meditate on these words if only to put ourselves on the proper path here in this world, having the proper attitude, outlook and lifestyle. We cannot deny that with how the world in developing these days, we tend to live a worldly, self-centered life, steeped only in the worldly values of convenience, practicality, pleasure, consumerism, etc.
With all the technological advances we now have, we cannot deny the fact that we are always tempted to try them, spending precious time and exploring the plethora of possibilities with them.
This is a good development, of course, but only if we are prepared for it, adequately equipped and clear as to their ultimate purpose. Otherwise, we would just be blown and swept away by the storm of novelties and curiosities they offer.
Thus, while they help us to be more driven in life, they also ask us, nay, require us to be properly grounded. A certain kind of sobriety is needed, since our tendency to be intoxicated is now always teased and provoked.
There is always a need to be careful and sober, since the pull of distractions can be both strong and subtle. It’s a daily struggle that has to be contextualized in one’s interior life itself or in one’s vital relation with God. It could not be anything less.
It’s this interior or spiritual life that enables one to see things from the point of view of God, and not just from any human point of view, cultural, social or economic. Sadly, this reality is often ignored by many people. There’s a need to restore the crucial role the spiritual life plays in our lives.
So, I always recommend that one submits himself to a clear plan of life that includes practices of piety spread out all throughout the day that would help him keep a lively spiritual life and a working supernatural outlook.
This lifestyle obviously requires sobriety, that effective self-control that involves knowing how to deal with our impulses and urges that need to be rationalized and later infused by faith and charity.
This is how we live our baptism into Christ!
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
