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Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - Baptism of the Lord - 12 January


Baptistry dome, Ravenna

Baptistry dome, Ravenna

If you go to Ravenna, or any of our early Christian basilicas you will find a mosaic of Christ being baptized by John high in the dome of the baptistery, most often a separate building.. a powerful artistic statement about the importance of baptism. These early images can still be seen in the icons of our eastern Byzantine churches, Orthodox and Catholic.

There in a landscape where the very hills seem to lift themselves up in praise like so many stone hands, the river Jordan splits the scene in two. John dressed in his familiar camel hair stands on the bank, pouring water on the Christ standing facing us in the centre of the Jordan waters, naked except for a loin cloth. He gazes directly at us, as if to invite us to join him, whilst the Dove descends in a ray of light from the heavens where the Father speaks from a cloud of light. It is the moment when he says, ‘This is my Son the beloved. My favour rests on Him’.

It’s good to look at the scene shown in the Icon, because somehow it is almost too difficult to capture in words, as we gaze we are called to remember our own baptism not just as an event but as a call and vocation, when we became truly the children of God. Perhaps that’s why art was first used in Christianity especially in the context of baptism, to help people experience visually what they heard in scripture and rite, but also discovered in their hearts and minds.

The readings for this feast tell of a God who is gentle, authoritative, a fair judge and guide of humans who calls us to share in the task of opening peoples eyes to the truth, free them from the captivity of sin and lead them from darkness into light. Can we do this? Yes of course we can because we have that gift of Christ given in baptism, when we too were reborn through water and then anointed by the Holy Spirit to confirm our calling.

We belong to a great family that knows no distinction of people, that’s what Peter understood when he said God has NO favourites, we all are equally loved and wanted. Let’s celebrate our baptismal vocation! because God’s favour rests on us, the beloved!

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Britain. This week he was on holiday - but he has still sent his Sunday Reflections. Thank you very much Father Robin! 

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