Conforming (phase 2), Baptism and Temptation of Jesus - Three Degrees of the Love of God (step15), session 5

This step differs from some of the previous ones in that it uses only a couple of scripture passages, with instructions to reflect on each one twice. This is a wonderful technique for gaining insight into God's Word, which has so much depth and wisdom that we can never plumb the depths of it. Coming back to a familiar passage later often causes us to first rediscover the things we have found there previously, but returning soon after reflecting on it the first time will often steer our thoughts in a very different direction. This is part of the beauty of the process of Lectio Divina, which can also be applied to sacred reading outside of the Bible. The first of the four steps in the traditional Benedictine approach to Lectio - read, meditate, pray, contemplate - calls for slowly reading the same passage four times, each with a different focus or point of view.

I'm pretty certain that I'm short-changing the process a bit by reflecting too quickly in response to what I read, but I am also feel God using this anyway, even though I may be "cheating" a little. So, today's reflection on Mt 3, 13-17, with and expectation that it will be different from the last one:

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.  John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" - Mt 3, 13-14

Is it not always thus? We say, "I need . . . ," acknowledging our shortcomings before him, and Jesus comes to us by taking our need upon himself. We need, all of us, to be baptized by Jesus, and we are, but rather than having to sojourn into some distant wilderness on a mysterious quest to find his baptism, he comes to us. As a precursor to our immersion in his divinity, he shows us how he is fully one with us in our humanity. As we aspire to become more than we could ever be, he is willing to take a form far less than he has always been. Because we need to be washed clean of the sin that stains our souls, he is washed clean before ever taking it upon himself to eradicate it forever.