Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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We know that baptism washes away original sin, which is the separation from God that we are all born with.
But Jesus did not have original sin — God’s Son was completely united to his Heavenly Father from eternity. In fact, Jesus himself was God — but in human flesh.
So when Jesus stepped into the waters of baptism, nothing needed to be undone in Him. Which raises an important question: Why was Jesus baptized at all?
Jesus entered into the waters of his baptism in order to enter into the waters of our baptism.
When we were baptized, Jesus was already there in those waters. At our baptism, it was Jesus himself who united us to God—who removed that original separation, that original sin, from our souls. Without the presence of Jesus in the sacramental waters of baptism, we would remain without hope.
Today we give thanks for the gift of Jesus’ presence in the waters of our baptism.
As baptized persons, Jesus remains with us, even if we sometimes reject the blessing of baptism and need to be reconciled again with him through the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist.
The love of Jesus placed within us is not meant to be contained. And so Jesus gives us our baptismal mission: first, to become holy ourselves by allowing Him to live fully within us; and then, to bring that same life to others. That is why He commands us, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit… And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 29:19-20).
May we stay close to Jesus, who lives within us by sheer fact of our baptism. May we never reject His grace by turning away from Him and His way. He is the Father’s beloved Son—and His call to holiness and discipleship is the path we are asked to follow.
Have a blessed week everyone.