By GABY HUNDZA
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
The verse that sticks out to me in this reading is verse 31, “I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Baptism was his way to find Jesus, as we are united with Christ through baptism.
On my last day of camp this past summer, I witnessed two girls get baptized. They had not been introduced to God prior to coming to camp, but after learning about Him and experiencing His love they strived to grow closer to Him. It was incredible seeing the joy of two girls uniting themselves with Christ and choosing to walk with him!
Baptism transforms us in many ways; we are made new. When we are born, we are bound to original sin, but through baptism we are freed from our sin. We are cleansed by the baptismal water. Baptism is an act of repentance, but it’s more than just that.
We are reborn through the sacrament; we become children of God, and we are united with the Spirit. This is such an incredible thought: when someone is adopted, it’s a permanent seal into that family. In a similar way, when we are baptized, God is adopting us into his family. We will always be his children, and his love for us is never ending!
Baptism is the basis of our Christian life, and it is the beginning of our journey of faith. This is our first declaration of our faith, and after this sacrament is complete, our journey truly begins.
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