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                         Meditation Daily        
               The Baptism of Jesus;   Mt(3:13-17)

“This is my son, the beloved with whom I am well pleased”
Respected Fr.Rector, Rev.Fathers and my dear brothers,
                                Today the Church celebrates the feast of Ephiphany. First of all I wish you all the blessings of the feast of Ephiphany. The meaning of the word Ephiphany is Manifestation. During the Ephiphany eastern churches commemorate the baptism of Jesus.

 Today’s  liturgical reading presents before us a beautiful image where Jesus bowed down before John the Baptist. It is the matter of great respect to John the Baptist. In the Old testament God reveled himself through the powers of the nature. The manifestations of Yahweh was a mighty one. Mosses experienced god’s presence in the burning bush, Israelites experienced god when He sent ten punishments to Egypt. when he divided the Red Sea, and river Jordan, when He destroyed the walls of Jericho, when he gave manna from heaven, water from rock etc.
But the manifestation of Jesus was a simple and humble act. He came to John the Baptist and asked him for baptism. Even John the Baptist was wondered by this humble act of Jesus. So he said to Jesus ‘’Indeed to be baptized by you, yet you come to me. ‘’This feeling of John can be compared with the feelings of Elizabath, that when Mary visited her and the feelings of Peter that when Jesus approached to wash his feet. The act of Jesus is the Act of humility and this is the starting of his public ministry.  In his letter to Philippines chapter 2 verses 6 and 7 Paul says ‘Jesus, being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. When he humbled himself god the father accepted him in front of all.                 
                                    In our daily life we can experience the manifestation of God. It may be a simple act. Sometimes it may be experienced in the protection, guidance or from may be some spiritual experience, acceptance etc. Which should make us remember the presence of God. Today Let us remember our baptismal promises and the obligations we have taken during our baptism. Let us try to be holy and humble, so that god the father may be well pleased with us and let His Holy Spirit work through us.
             May god bless us all.
                                       
Abin John

Dharmaram College, Bengaluru 
  

 
                                   

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