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Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
On
Christ's Baptism
"Jesus Began Taking Upon Himself the Guilt of All Humanity"
H.H. Benedict XVI
January 13, 2008
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
With today's feast of the Baptism of Jesus, the liturgical season of
Christmas comes to a close. The child, whom the Magi came from the
East to venerate in Bethlehem offering their symbolic gifts, we find
now as an adult, in the moment in which he is baptized in the Jordan
by the great prophet John (cf. Matthew 3:13). The Gospel notes that
when Jesus, having received baptism, comes out of the water, the
heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends upon him as a dove (cf.
Matthew 3:16). A voice was then heard from heaven that said: "This
is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).
That was his first public appearance after 30 years of a hidden life
in Nazareth. The eyewitnesses of this singular event were, besides
the Baptist, his disciples, some of whom would from that moment
become followers of Christ (cf. John 1:35-40). We have at the same
time a Christophany and Theophany: Above all, Jesus manifests
himself as the "Christ," the Greek term that is used as the
translation of the Hebrew "Messiah," which means "anointed." He was
not anointed with oil, in the matter of the kings and high priests
of Israel, but with the Holy Spirit. At the same time, together with
the Son of God, there appeared the signs of the Holy Spirit and of
the heavenly Father.
What is the meaning of this deed, which Jesus wanted to accomplish,
overcoming the resistance of the Baptist, to obey the Father's will
(cf. Matthew 3:14-15)? The profound meaning will emerge only at the
end of the earthly event of Christ, that is, in his death and
resurrection. Receiving baptism from John together with sinners,
Jesus began taking upon himself the weight of the guilt of all
humanity, as the Lamb of God who "takes away" the sin of the world
(cf. John 1:29).
This is a task that he will only bring to completion on the cross,
where he also receives his "baptism" (cf. Luke 12:50). Dying, in
fact, he "immerses" himself in the love of the Father and pours out
the Spirit so that those who believe in him can be reborn from that
inexhaustible font of new and eternal life. Christ's whole mission
is summarized in this: We are baptized in the Holy Spirit to be
liberated from the slavery of death and "have the heavens opened to
us," that is, have access to the true and full life, which will be
"a plunging ever anew into the vastness of being, in which we are
simply overwhelmed with joy" ("Spe Salvi," No. 12).
This is also what happened for the 13 babies to whom I administered
the sacrament of baptism this morning in the Sistine Chapel. For
them and for their families we invoke the maternal protection of
Mary Most Holy. And we pray for all Christians, that they may
understand more and more the gift of baptism and commit themselves
to living it with consistency, witnessing to the love of the Father
and the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[After the Angelus, the Holy Father said the following:]
Today is the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which this year is
focusing attention on young migrants. In fact, there are numerous
young people who are forced for various reasons to live far from
their families and countries. Girls and minors are especially at
risk. Some children and adolescents are born and grow up in "refugee
camps": They too have a right to a future!
I express my appreciation for those who commit themselves to help
young migrants, their families and the integration of their work and
study; I invite ecclesial communities to welcome with sympathy the
young and the very young with their parents, trying to understand
their stories and helping them to become assimilated. Dear young
migrants! Commit yourselves together with your contemporaries to
building a more just and fraternal society, fulfilling your duties,
respecting the laws and not allowing yourselves to be caught up in
violence. I entrust all of you to Mary, Mother of all humanity.
[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]
[Then, the Holy Father greeted the people in several languages. In
English, he said:]
To all the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims here today, I
extend affectionate greetings. On this feast of the Lord's Baptism,
Jesus descends into the waters of the Jordan , taking upon himself
the weight of our sins; then he rises from the water, as the Spirit
comes down upon him and the Father's voice declares: "This is my
beloved Son". Let us rejoice that the Son of God came to share our
human condition, so that we might rise with him to everlasting life.
Upon all who are here today, and upon your families and loved ones
at home, I invoke God's abundant blessings.
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