The Luminous Mysteries
The Baptism of Christ
Fruit of the Mystery: Openness to the Holy Spirit
Jesus had no need for baptism. Yet because his Father willed it, he presented himself to John the Baptist at the Jordan River. Through this action, Jesus demonstrated the value of baptism. It also provided the formal start of Jesus’ ministry.
Prior to this point, Jesus had been living a quiet life. All that was about to change. After John baptized Jesus, “the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).
The Holy Spirit is the advocate sent by Jesus to help us in our Christian lives (John 16:7). At our Baptism, the Holy Spirit comes upon us in a special way. Through the grace of this sacrament, the Holy Spirit bestows the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. At the Sacrament of Confirmation, these gifts are strengthened. Those who live in cooperation with the Holy Spirit should bear fruits that show in their lives. Those fruits are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.[i]
The Holy Spirit wants to bear fruit in our lives, but we need to open ourselves to the Spirit through prayer and an active sacramental life. We need to ask for the Holy Spirit’s help as we go about our daily lives. A traditional prayer to the Holy Spirit is “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth,” but an even simpler plea can be “Holy Spirit, please help me.” It is a quick prayer to offer before starting any project where you need inspiration or when embarking on a conversation with another person. The Holy Spirit has the power to transform our lives if we only open ourselves up to that power.
In meditating on this mystery of the Baptism of Christ, let us pray that we may open our hearts and our lives to the power of the Holy Spirit.
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