Father Albertus Herwanta, O. Carm
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jesus. His baptism is not a washing from sin but a divine unveiling. It reveals the identity of Jesus and the pattern of our Christian calling, beautifully woven through today's scriptures. There, we read about the beloved, the called, and the sent. What does it mean?
First, we see the Beloved. As Jesus emerges from the water, the Father's voice declares, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). This echoes Isaiah's "servant" prophecy: "Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased" (Isaiah 42:1).
Before any ministry begins, there is belovedness. Jesus's mission flows from his secure identity in the Father's love. For us, baptism is first our adoption as God's beloved children. Our worth and call are rooted not in our achievements but in God's gracious choice and delight.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)
Second, we see the Called. Isaiah outlines the servant's mission: to bring forth justice, not with fanfare but with gentle persistence, "a bruised reed he will not break" (Isaiah 42:3).
Peter declares in Acts that this servant is Jesus, "anointed… with the Holy Spirit and power," going about doing good (Acts 10:38). His baptism anoints him for this mission of restorative justice, healing, and liberation—to be "a covenant of the people… to free captives" (Isaiah 42:6-7).
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"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)
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Our baptism similarly anoints us. We are incorporated into Christ, the Servant, and receive the same Spirit to continue his gentle, powerful work of healing and justice in the world. Thus, baptism is strongly connected with the mission of the Church.
Third, we see the Sent. Jesus's baptism is a commissioning. He emerges from the water and immediately steps into solidarity with humanity, heading toward a ministry of preaching, healing, and ultimately the Cross. The "well-pleased" love of the Father is the launchpad for the servant's difficult work.
For us, Christian life is not passive enjoyment of a title but active participation in Christ's mission. We are sent from the waters of baptism to live out our belovedness in service, to be agents of God's light in darkness.
Therefore, the Lord's baptism is a mirror of our lives. It reminds us: You are beloved. Your funda-mental identity is as God's delighted-in child. You are called. You are anointed by the Spirit for the servant mission of Jesus. You are sent. You go forth in Christ's pattern of humble, powerful love. Every act of kindness, every stand for justice, and every offer of healing is lived-out baptism, flowing from the love declared over us and empowered by the Spirit given to us. We are to share our belovedness.
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Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence (Henri J.M. Nouwen).
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In his personal letter to Fred, Henri Nouwen writes very inspiring and touching words regarding belovedness: "The greatest gift my friendship can give to you is the gift of your belovedness. I can offer that gift only insofar as I have claimed it for myself. Isn't that what friendship is all about: giving to each other the gift of our belovedness." and "Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence" (Henri J.M. Nouwen: Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World, 2006, 23 and 25). (*)