Readings:
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
Acts 10:34-38
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Today’s feast of the Baptism of the Lord invites us to reflect on the significance of baptism in the life of Jesus and in our own lives. The Gospel of Luke presents this moment as a turning point in Jesus’ earthly mission. As he steps into the waters of the Jordan, Jesus reveals a profound truth: he is the Beloved Son of God, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and sent to share God’s love and salvation with humanity. As I reflect on what took place on that day, it takes me back home and immerses me in the rituals of belonging and status celebrated by my ancestors. I recall the beautiful ritual of welcoming a newborn into the family, a practice full of meaning and symbolism. When a baby is safely delivered, the women of our community gathered to sing songs of joy. Their first song, “Iku Orum Onu,” announced the birth and the arrival of a new member of the family. It is like a trumpet of joy proclaiming, “A new life is here!” Following the songs, the women would rub “Nzu,” a white powder, on their necks as a gesture of goodwill, purity of heart, and welcome. This ritual marks a profound transition in the life of the child. No longer was the baby hidden in the womb, communing only with her mother and God. Now, she is part of a wider family, welcomed into a communal journey of life. The ritual assuresthe child that life is not a solitary path but a communal pilgrimage, shared with family and the broader community.

A few days days after the birth, the parents, other family members and friends take the child to church and vouch in faith on their behalf. The task of raising the child in the parents’ faith goes on until the child decides otherwise at the age of reasoning. While receiving the infancy baptism was out of our volition, maintaining and sometimes dying because of our faith becomes our decision to make. Our faith teaches us that baptism is not just a symbolic act, it is a sacrament through which the Holy Spirit is poured into our lives, cleansing us from sin, and including us into the body of Christ.

We read that upon receiving John’s Baptism and as he was praying, “heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove. God spoke directly to Jesus: You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” This depicts the union of the trinity, Jesus recognizing the Father by praying to him and the father responding by sending the Holy Spirit like a dove to embrace Him and empower him as he steps into his public ministry. Like the “Nzu” in my ancestors’ ritual, the descent of the Spirit and the voice of the Father signify goodwill, purity, and a divine welcome into the mission that lies ahead. God’s love for the Son is not only a private relationship, but rather, a public pronouncement of Jesus as the Savior of the world. Baptism in our faith tradition, brings us into this same relationship with the Father. As the Father announced His love for Jesus, we, too, are declared beloved children of God in our own baptisms. We too are empowered to go out and proclaim the Word of God to the world.

So, as we celebrate this important feast of the baptism of our Lord, Jesus Christ, let us reflect on our own baptism today. Do we live as beloved children of God, confident in his love and open to his Spirit? Do we embrace our role as members of a faith community, supporting one another in our shared pilgrimage of life? And do we proclaim the joy of our faith, like the “Iku Orum Onu,” song announcing to the world that a new life in Christ is here? May we realize that our baptism calls us to be faithful to the mission Jesus has entrusted to us as we walk with Jesus in prayer, humility, and obedience.

Sr Chioma Ahanihu, SLW