Here I am standing before the River Jordan, the body of water where Jesus was baptized. The river separates Israel from Jordan, which is where the church in the background is located.
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| My friend Peggy in front of the Jordan |
The word Jordan comes from the Hebrew Yarden, which means the one that descends. The river literally descends from the foot of Mt. Hermon down to the Dead Sea, 1,300 feet below sea level and the lowest place on earth. Jesus too descends into the river and into our humanity. Perhaps his baptism symbolizes this.
We were fortunate on our trip to have one of our pilgrims, Nancy, baptized in the Jordan.
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| Father Michael prepares Nancy. |
I find it fascinating to speculate about the relationship that Jesus had with John the Baptist. Luke's gospel records John leaping in his mother's womb, when Mary visits Elizabeth. In scripture, they don't meet again until John baptizes Jesus in the Jordan. But they were relatives, each with a special call. They likely would have seen each other throughout their lives. Their vocations may have given them a special bond.
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| Not many get to experience baptism by immersion in this holy river. |
"To know the date of our baptism is to know a blessed day. . . . We must reawaken the memory of our baptism." Pope Francis
Water plays such an important role in our lives, biologically and sacramentally. It's where life started. Our bodies are made of a large amount of it. It's sustaining, cleansing, refreshing. It can also be the cause of death as with floods and storms. Perhaps our baptism is one reason we are attracted to the water. In baptism, through the Holy Spirit, we are freed from sin. Since Jesus was without sin, why would he be baptized? We don't know for certain but perhaps it is an act of fully entering into our humanity.
A reminder of how far we have to go before "thy Kingdom come" on this earth.
Roll Jordan, roll
Roll Jordan, roll
I want to go to heaven when I die
To hear ol' Jordan roll
Roll Jordan, roll
My brother you ought to have been there
Yes, my Lord, a-sitting in the Kingdom
To hear roll Jordan, roll
Roll Jordan, roll
To the River of Jordan, Our Savior went one day
And we read that John the Baptist met Him there
When John baptized Jesus in Jordan's rushing water
The mighty power of God filled the air
I'm on my way. . . to the River of Jordan
Gonna wade right in, in the rushing waters
I'm going down. . . to the River of Jordan
To let the cool waters cleanse my soul.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the beloved with whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:13-17
