Our Father's love

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Ben Heinzen

In today's Gospel, we witness the baptism of Jesus. Interestingly, we do not see this event through the eyes of his disciples; we witness it through the eyes of the people. Consequently, it is important for us to understand who these people are and why they are at the Jordan River.

The people of this Gospel reading are Jewish. They have come to see if John the Baptist is the Christ, which means messiah or "anointed."

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Jan. 11, 2004) Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 Acts 10:34-38 Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Now, we must remember that the prophets have said that a messiah will come to bring Israel, God's chosen people, to freedom. This is an especially stirring image as the Jews have been under the control of the Roman Empire for nearly 100 years. The Jews hate the Romans, want them out, and think that John might be the man to do it.

What does John tell these people? Simply, he says, "No, someone else is your savior." This is obviously a disappointment, but these lucky people do not have to wait long for what they truly desire.

A man they do not recognize arrives on the scene and John baptizes him. Mystically, the people see a dove descend from the sky and land upon the man. In addition, they hear the voice of God proclaim, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

God's words pierced my heart when I read this passage because I do not believe that he said them for Jesus. Examining the beginning of Luke's Gospel, especially the finding of Jesus in the temple, it becomes clear that Jesus already knew that God loved him. Rather, I believe that God spoke those words to us, the people at the Jordan that day, the church.

With a little introspective digging, I quickly unearthed why I feel that God is speaking to us. Following my first year of college, I believed that my deepest desire was to know "what I am supposed to do with my life."

Like the Jews of the gospel, I wanted my oppressors, the forces of fear and uncertainty, to disappear. Thankfully, God did not do this. He answered my prayers, as he answered Jews, through letting me know one thing - I am loved.

	Reflection questions • Do I take time everyday to sit quietly and receive God's great love? • Are there any places of guilt or shame in my life that I am refusing to let God's healing and forgiving love touch?

In light of the church's existence as the body of Christ, today's Gospel makes perfect sense. We all have Christ inside of us and it is our job to let the indwelling of our God lead us. In saying, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased," God is telling us that he loves us.

When I felt God say, "Ben, I love you," I realized how deeply I desire His love. Through recognizing that desire, I also understood the many other desires God has implanted in my heart. Those holy, God inspired, desires answered my questions about my life's purpose.

Today, I rely heavily upon God's love and its revealing nature. To know Him and his love is to know why I am alive.

Ben Heinzen is a senior at UW-Madison and a member of St. Paul's Catholic Student Union.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive

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