Jesus' Baptism at the Jordan River

Meditation on the First Luminous Mystery of the Rosary

Oh my Jesus.
We were all watching, wondering,
if John the Baptizer was The One,
the Messiah, promised in scripture.

He denied this.
We were there when he said,

“I baptize you with water for repentance,
but one who is more powerful than I
is coming after me; I am not worthy
to carry his sandals. He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
(NRSV Matthew 3:11)

The next day You came to the river.
When John saw You, he announced to us,

“Here is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world!”
(NRSV John 1:29)

To fulfill the Law and in humility,
You submitted that day
to John’s cleansing waters and
You blessed them with Your blessing.

The Holy Spirit was there, too.
As You rose from the water,
He came to rest on You.

And John testified,

“I saw the Spirit
descending from heaven like a dove,
and it remained on him.
I myself did not know him,
but the one who sent me
to baptize with water said to me,

‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend
and remain is the one who baptizes
with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen
and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
(NSRV John 1:32-34)

Our Father watched all these events and,
consecrating this new beginning
with the full magnificence of His Holy Trinity,
He spoke just then from heaven, saying,

“This is my Son, the Beloved,
with whom I am well pleased.”
(NSRV Matthew 3:17)

Oh, Father, forgive me my sins
and bless me, too,
in the waters of Jesus’s baptism.
Through my sighs and tears,
let me approach You again and again
in humility and repentance and in obedience.

Just as Jesus did and calls me to do,
wash me clean and
fill me with the fire of Your Holy Spirit.

As we walk together toward Calvary,
prepare me, Holy Lord, and purify me
in the body and blood of the Lamb.

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