As our community returns, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which is marked as the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and the end to our season of Christmas. In the mystery of Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan River, we again encounter and represent the truth of the Lord’s incarnation and His manifestation as the Christ. We find accounts of Jesus’ baptism in all four gospels (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-23, John 1: 29-33).
But in John, the words and the images speak to me and I imagine myself being present:
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
These images are a reminder of how Ignatius encouraged us to pray. We may have heard of lectio divina which is meditative or spiritual reading. We listen with our heart and then reflect on that experience and then respond to the influence of the Spirit. But let’s take this prayer a step further. Can we take the words of the Gospel, put ourselves inside the Gospel, and link that to art? We combine our spiritual reading with spiritual art or visio divina.
Let’s take a painting by James Tissot, "The Baptism of Jesus (Baptême de Jésus)" from the Brooklyn Museum.
In small simple steps, you can pray with scripture and with art, as I suggest.
Watch what happens; listen to what is being said; see what is happening in the painting; feel the actions with your body.
Become part of the mystery by becoming one of the persons in the story or one of the people in the painting. Listen, taste, smell, feel, and watch what happens. Allow yourself to interact with the other persons in the event: enter into conversation with them, listen to what they have to say to you and to each other.
Allow the event to unfold through your imagination.
Respond spontaneously in a conversation with God, with Jesus or with one of the persons within the Gospel story.
As our own semester unfolds, I encourage you to take time in prayer daily. Perhaps you want to use scripture or art; perhaps you have your own method of prayer. Whatever may be the case, take some daily time to imagine where God is leading you and enjoy your conversations as I do every day!
Sue Chawszczewski
Director of Campus Ministry
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