John the Baptist

Imagine the scene in today’s Gospel. John is baptizing at the river Jordan. We’ve always heard that John was kind of a strange character. He had long, hippy-type hair. He dressed in animal skins. He ate bugs. Kind of wild and wooly, I guess.

Here he is today, standing in the water, probably at a place where lots of people would be passing by; maybe a popular river crossing point. As he’s traveled around, he’s gathered an entourage of people who follow him wherever he goes. So, here he is, standing in the middle of the river, baptizing. People are stopping to see what’s going on.

We can imagine that John was probably a boisterous guy, yelling to passers by to come and be baptized. People were stopping to see what all the commotion was about. John wasn’t baptizing with a handful of water like we do when we baptize a baby. He was grabbing people and plunging them into the water.

People were asking, “Is this the messiah? Is he the one we’ve been promised for so long?” John hears the questions and says, “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Suddenly a stranger appears. He walks up quietly and joins the crowd watching John. John is caught up in the work of baptizing so many people when he looks up and sees the stranger, standing on the shore.

But he’s not a stranger to John. He has known him since he was in his mother’s womb. He walks over and embraces the stranger. “John” the stranger greets him. “Jesus”, John answers.

Jesus tells John that he wants to be baptized. John must have protested, especially considering what he has just told the crowd. But, Jesus is persistent. You don’t say “no” to Jesus, at least not if you know what’s good for you.

So, John walks to the center of the river with Jesus, prays over him, and plunges him into the water. Of course, the crowd has no idea what has just happened. It appears that Jesus is just one of many who have come to the Jordan to be baptized.

But, as Jesus wades back to shore, the sky is torn open, the spirit descends on him and a voice booms out from the heavens. “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Now they know. THIS is the one; the one that they’ve been promised. The Messiah.

Even though John told the crowd that he wasn’t worthy to fasten His sandal strap, Jesus has come to be baptized by him. Jesus came as our brother. Even though He was the Son of God, He chose to be baptized by an ordinary man. Even today, He uses ordinary people to do His work. You and I are his arms and legs, his eyes and ears. That’s why we’re called the Body of Christ. As we approach Epiphany this Sunday, let’s all remember that He came to earth to save us and He still counts on us to help Him in his work.