Our Lord underwent this rite as representing fallen human nature. He went through a ceremony which was destined to proclaim His mission to the world. His stay in the desert and penitential life crowned by the sufferings of the Passion were only portions of a great whole.

He was the Son of Man; and, as such must put on the appearance of sin.

1 Cometh Jesus.-S. John says it was the day after John had foretold his glory. It is said also in the Gospel of S. John that John the Baptist

did not know him. It is evident from this that although they may have met in youth, according to old traditions dear to painters and sculptors, they had not done so for a period long enough to make one naturally forget the features of the other.

2 From Galilee.—Luke ii. 51. He went down to Nazareth and was subject to them, is the history of Our Lord's life from the age of twelve to thirty. No one was allowed to take upon himself the office of doctor, teacher, or scribe before thirty years of age amongst the Jews. John observed this law and so did Jesus.

3 To be baptized by him.-His baptism has sorely exercised the ingenuity of those writers on the Scripture who try to give a reason for everything narrated. Our Lord did not need any lustration or ceremony for His sanctification. His human nature was more than sanctified by its hypostatic union with the Divinity. Nevertheless, we observe him fulfilling, not only the legal ceremonies, but the customary ones over and above.

4 John stayed him saying.-If John did not know him how could he at once make a motion of his hand to prevent the ceremony and recognise him? There is no light cast upon this by the Scripture itself. We must only conclude that some divine emanation from our Lordsuch as that which drew the disciples after him—revealed him to John.

Whether John was baptised by Christ or by one of his disciples is not certain. A Lapide quotes a tradition which says that John was baptised and a number of others. There is no need of this. John was baptised quoad finem in his mother's womb, and effective in his blood as martyr. Any other baptism would seem superfluous.

The most charming portion of the life of Jesus comes to an end at the beginning of his ministry.

He was a perfect child.

Ist. He obeyed his parents. 2nd. He learned a trade and

plied it.

John's humility is sorely tried. He has just been praising Our Lord to the multitudes and lo! He comes like an ordinary young man to be baptised.

To say that John was not carrying out his mission in

3rd. He left them only at refusing to baptise our Lord God's command. comes from sheer ignorance of All this includes the perfect the nature of true humility.

1 Suffer it now.-Our Lord chose to fulfil every jot and tittle of the Law of Moses both in His own regard and that of His blessed Mother. He was circumcised on the eighth day after His birth. She underwent the rite of purification in the Temple and He the rite of presentation as being the firstborn. He submits His human nature to the rite of John's Baptism; and His Confirmation, in a mystic but real sense, takes place immediately afterwards. This was the Holy Ghost of whom S. John had just spoken.

1 All justice.—If Our Lord left any point of the Law unfulfilled the Pharisees and His other enemies would be sure to lay hold of it. These were not empty symbols notwithstanding. Our Lord set an example.

'Being baptised. He was immersed in the stream and then came forth immediately. Jesus Christ consecrated water by this formal touch of His Sacred Body, and qualified it to be the matter of His own Sacrament. The heavens were opened.-This was some peculiar rent in the atmosphere through which the mystical dove appeared and lighted upon

D

the head of Our Lord. John saw the dove; but it is not certain whether the surrounding multitude were so favoured. There seems no reason why they should be deprived of the vision since it was an authentication of John's words concerning the Messias.

Venerable Bede remarks that this is the first time the heavens were opened since the fall of man,

The date of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan is assigned by tradition, as expressed in the Liturgy to the 6th January, Feast of the Epiphany. Our Lord was then thirty years and twelve days old and shortly afterwards began his public ministry.

1A voice from heaven.-This voice was pointed as referring to Our Lord by the motion of the Dove. The word beloved in the Greek means also only-begotten.

This is the third time that S. Matthew calls attention to the Divinity of Our Lord. The whole multitude heard this voice; for, John and Jesus did not need it. The Blessed Trinity, as S. Jerome observes, was here revealed to S. John the Baptist in a manner far clearer and more distinct than ever was vouchsafed to any of the other Patriarchs or Prophets.

This public attestation of heaven was repeated once more on Mount Thabor when Our Lord was about to conclude the labours which He was now about to commence. It is remarkable how Our Lord, in fulfilling all justice, had His authorisation from heaven before He began to preach. He might say then with this fact in record, formally to His disciples, as My Father sent me I send you.

Qui se humilient, &c.
In every humiliation of Our
Lord His Divinity shone out.
Here He descends-

Ist. To the rank of a sinner.
2nd. To a penitential rite.
3rd. Submits to His inferior.
For which cause He-

Ist. Becomes revealed

as

The Catholic Doctrine that the infused virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity are given in Baptism is here illustrated.

Ist. Faith by the Voice. 2nd. Hope by the opening of heaven.

3rd. Charity by the Holy

Messias to the Baptist and by Ghost, who is diffused in the

him to the others.

2nd. He sanctifies the stream and thousands visit it ever since, and get its water for Baptism.

3rd. John becomes more famous than before.

Water by contact with His Body

Earth by His touch and the resting of the dove

Air by the fissure, the dove,

and the voice-are all blessed on this day.

heart.

The observation of Rationalists and Broad Church Clergymen upon this chapter are not worthy even of refutation. They without are shallow guesses even the cleverness of satire or originality to make them readable, much less worthy of adverse notice.

Pagan parsons are bad

critics.