Jesus Comes to the Jordan

January 12, 2020 | This week it’s all about water, flowing Jordan waters, and the waters that nourish our crops and our bodies. Without water, our lives are in danger. We can do without food for a few days, but water is a necessity, even in the care of persons at the descending edges of life. This Sunday we celebrate the baptism of Jesus.

Jesus comes to the Jordan river to be baptized. Although John is not eager to baptize one whom he believes to have a unique relationship with God, Jesus insists on being baptized to “fulfill all righteousness,” to be in solidarity with all who struggle to experience God in transformative ways. As Jesus rises from the Jordan, a dove descends and God’s voice is heard, “this is my beloved with whom I am well pleased.” While some believe God’s voice defines Jesus as other than us, a supernatural interruption in the ambiguous human history, I believe that Jesus’ baptism and God’s affirmation is, in fact, an affirmation that Jesus is part of our story and that we share in God’s love just as Jesus did.