WATER IS LIFE

BAPTISM OF THE LORD

Alt. Reading Is.55:1-11; Is.12:2-3.4.5-6; 1Jn 5:1-9; Mk.1:7-11

Water is life! 60% of an adult human body is water. About 71% of the Earth surface is water-covered. We cannot live without water! We use it in all our human activities. Even in expressing our feelings, we use water – in tears of joy or sadness. Water is life!

Even in our alternative readings on this solemnity of the Lord’s baptism, there is an abundance of water! Such word, “water,” is repeated ten times in the three readings and psalm for today. And one can imagine how “watery” our Gospel scene. John amidst a large number of crowd was preaching and baptizing using the waters of the River Jordan. He was reminding the people that just as water is needed for them to live, his baptism by water is also necessary as they prepare for the coming of the Lord.

Water is life! However, things take a different meaning when Jesus entered into the scene. Humbly, he submitted himself to John for baptism not for the remission of his sins but to commence his ministry of immersing himself into the lives of the people especially the poor and the marginalized. St. Maximus of Turin in his sermon beautifully proclaims, “Christ is baptized, not to be made holy by the water, but to make the water holy, and by his cleansing to purify the waters which he touched.” At his baptism, Jesus offers us a new life-giving water that quenches not only our temporal thirst but our thirst for meaning and existence.  Jesus gives us his very own life as our source of living water.

How can we avail of such living water? In our first reading from the prophet Isaiah, God is inviting us to “come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life.” Not through a litany of words or noisy preaching can we avail of the Living Water but through listening. We listen not only with our minds but also with our hearts. Simply said, we allow God to speak to us; to reveal his message of salvation in our lives.

In our second reading from the first letter of John, the Beloved reminds us that “for the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments.” And we all know that God has only one commandment – to love. The Living Water can only satisfy our thirst if we ourselves love that is if we become “living water” to those who are suffering and in pain.

The entire nation is very busy these days as we finally welcome the arrival of Pope Francis on January 15, 2015. Everyone is busy with the details in order to have a safe and successful apostolic visit. Everyone is excited to see and probably to touch “even the tassel of his tunic.” However, may his visit remind us not of the papacy but Jesus the Living Water. May we see in the face of Pope Francis not the “down to earth” Cardinal Bergoglio but Jesus, the Living Water, who gives our lives a different meaning and direction. May the awe-inspiring gestures of Pope Francis remind us of our identity that we are born to love. Let us remind ourselves, that the Pope comes not in his own name but in the name of Jesus, the name above every other name.

Water is life. According to H.H. Mitchell, in the Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, “the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.” Indeed, our human body needs a lot of water in order to survive. Yet our soul needs 100% Living Water in order to survive, to live, and to love. Amen!

N.B. Picture is taken from https://www.google.com.ph/search?kangensui.us%252Fwater%252F%3B1920%3B1200