The Suffering God!

Baptism of the Lord

Monday, January 8, 2024

Is 55:1-11; Mk 1:7-11

We celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord because, though sinless, He identified with sinful humanity. 

At its origin, Christianity embraced Greek philosophical foundations, which hail Divine Omnipotence. Also, the notion of ‘Divine Impassibility’ which refers to ‘God’s incapacity for suffering’ is central to Greek philosophy. 

However, at the baptism of the Lord, something that contradicts Greek philosophical thought is unfolding. It celebrates the divine initiative to mingle with human experience. God comes down to share human struggles. 

For humans, suffering is a passive experience. No one wants to suffer. But we suffer, even against our will. That involuntary suffering happens because of human weakness and vulnerability. 

Whereas for God, suffering does not exist. God is immune to suffering. 

But Jesus’ initiative to be baptized falsifies the philosophical notions. He is a God who chooses to embrace human weakness and vulnerability. 

Jesus was conceived and born without original sin. As such, he did not need any baptism to wash away the stain of original sin.

But yet, Jesus walks down the waters of sin in line with other sinners. 

In his revolutionary act, Jesus identifies himself with sinners so that he can accompany them to liberation. Jesus is in River Jordan to take us out of our sins. As a fellow sufferer and victim, Jesus offers his redeeming presence. This is the objective of Jesus’ baptism. 

The American theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously said, ‘Only a suffering God can help.’

Jesus came down to lift us up!

Hence, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord celebrates the selfless love of Jesus and his mission objective, ‘to suffer with us and die for us.’

The feast challenges human indifference and apathy. It sends a clear mandate that we are Christians if only we care. 

Let us beseech God’s grace to love and care for the suffering humanity, just as Jesus did!

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar