Baptism of the Lord - Year A (Matthew 3:13-17)

The fact that the evangelists struggle to understand why Jesus would have allowed himself be baptized by John is a strong indication that this is an historical event. Mathew, perhaps even in spite of himself (the real meaning of biblical inspiration?), manages to bring together creation, incarnation and baptism.
The same voice that spoke the words of creation over the waters of chaos, speaks over the waters of the Jordan with the “with whom I am well pleased” echoing the “God saw it was good” of Genesis 1. The incarnate Word steps into the waters of the river Jordan, submitting to John’s baptism for the sake of righteousness, our righteousness. And so baptism becomes a sacrament, a means of grace, through which human beings are linked, once again, to the divine.