Christmas ends with Sunday’s Feast of Jesus’ Baptism.  Scriptural commentaries reflect on a very profound question:  If Jesus was already Holy and Pure – being God’s Only Begotten Son, and all – why would he need to be Baptized?  John (Jesus’ humble cousin), asked the same question in the statement:  It is I who should be baptized by you!

To answer that question, the Early Church Fathers would say that Jesus’ entry into the water of the Jordan River did not purify Him.  In fact, the opposite happened.  He purified the water!  And that same water purifies all that it touches – including our own souls (that is, if we allow the waters to touch our souls).

With this stunning revelation, all of the images of water references in the Hebrew Scriptures come to life in a whole new way. God’s creation of water; Moses being drawn out of the water; the recently freed slaves from the Egyptians who passed through the divided water of the Red Sea without getting wet; the leper being cleansed by plunging into the river 3 times;  Noah and the flood waters that purified the putrid earth;  We see the same in the New Testament water references:  water into wine; the calming of the waters; the water that flowed from Jesus’ pierced side:  All of these water/food point to this incredible event that revealed Jesus’ true identity:  God’s Beloved Son in Whom His Favor Rests!

Families bring their church to Baptism for the same reason: to hear the Church (God’s mouthpiece on earth) to proclaim that this child, purified from the stain of original sin, is truly God’s child – the way God intended the child to be:  PURE and CLEAN!  And, it doesn’t just take water, but sacramental water, namely Holy Water.  That means, water into which Jesus has fully entered, the same way he entered the Jordan River.

Hopefully people can see the difference.  Water, by itself is limited.  Sure, it can satisfy thirst of the body.  Too much of it, can bloat you or even kill you (i.e., drowning).  The water into which Jesus entered (Holy Water)  has similar effects:  It can satisfy our spiritual thirsts.  And when immersed in it (which is the more literal translation of the Greek Word Baptism), it can “kill” the sin in our souls.  That’s what happens in Baptism:  the child, immersed in the waters, literally “dies to sin” and comes out a whole new person.  While the Baby was always considered a Blessing from God (all human life is!), the Baptism provides the Child with a whole new status.  All that with a simple dunk or sprinkle of Holy Water!

That’s what water does to us.

For the faithful foodie in us all, we may want to consider the role of water in our diet.  Some researchers suggest that we drink around 8 cups per day.  Many people report losing weight simply by replacing sodas and sweetened drink with pure simple water. Chefs would probably say water is the most important ingredient in cooking.  It determines the potency of flavors, helps keep meats juicy, and it creates luxurious sauces.  But, the water has to have something added to it:  salt, cooking alcohol, flavor that comes from the bones of chicken or fish to create broth, or whatever seasoning is required.

In other words, water is just water unless something is added to it.  That’s true for us spiritually.  Water is just water until Jesus enters into it!

When we dip our fingers in the Holy Water Font;  when we bring some of that holy water from Lourdes, France home with us to keep in our homes; when we bring our children to church for Baptism; we recognize that water is something different.  It is sacred.  Holy Water can save us by drowning sin in our lives.

(Lourdes, France: Shrine where people are cured because of the Holy Waters attributed to the miraculous apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette)

Jesus’ Baptism helps makes sacramental theology more understandable.  The church takes ordinary things such bread, wine, oil, water, an engaged couple, a young man who wants to do God’s will, and puts these things within a ritual to allow God’s spirit to enter into it.  After the prayers are faithfully said by the right person (such as John – who was appointed to do this despite his unworthiness, yet he strived to be as worthy as possible), the “ordinary thing” becomes extraordinary. It becomes a Sacrament!

When I won the Throw Down against Bobby Flay, I joked with him telling him that my marinade had Holy Water in it.  That was only a joke, so calm down, I wouldn’t do anything like that.  It was my way of saying that my Fajita recipe was different because I’m trying to allow God to be part of that cooking process.  In other words, God is not kicked out of my kitchen! I did / do pray when I cook, asking God to make this simple meal something that helps remind us of His presence / entry into this common experience.  While the food is not a “SACRAMENT” in a strict sense, it is “sacramental” in an analogous sense because we are reminded that God is part of the meal!

Making the ordinary extraordinary requires allowing God’s presence to permeate that very thing.  It could be your marriage, your job, your family.  These are ordinary things.  But when God is permitted to enter into it, like His Son did in the Jordan River, it changes the whole dynamic.  For chefs, adding just water to something can ‘ruin’ the meal, unless, something else is added to it.

Perhaps we may need to improve, not only our cooking, but our lives, by making sure that Jesus enters more fully – immersed – into all the ordinary things we have!  He entered into water to purify it.  He can enter into our lives – the raging waters, or the water that needs to be stirred up in our souls.  He will make it new.

Blessing oneself with Holy Water wards off evil

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