Baptism And Teaching

Ex Evangelio, fratres, nuper audivimus, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum ad sacra Jordanis fluenta baptismi causa venisse, seque in eodem flumine mysteriis coelestibus consecrari voluisse; quod quidem quare ipse praestiterit, mirari non debemus. Ipse enim primus, quod caeteris faciendum imperabat, exsequi voluit, ut veluti bonus magister doctrinam suam non tam verbis insinuaret, quam actibus etiam ipse exerceret. Haec autem omnia hac die fuisse peracta manifestum est, idque ex ipsa etiam possumus ratione colligere. Ratio enim exigit ut post Natilis dominici diem etsi interpositis annis, eodem autem tempore ista sequeretur festivitas, quamque etiam natalem appellandam puto. Tunc enim natus est hominibus, hodie renatus est sacramentis. Tunc per Virginam editus est, hodie per mysterium fuit regeneratus. Ita enim infinita sua sapientia disposuit Dominus, ne longe inter se hominum vota distarent; atque adeo in uno eodemque tempore, quem genitum homines gratulabantur in terra, sanctificatum laetaretur in coelis, ut qui partum Virginis, nuntiantibus angelis, jam possidebant, ut Dei Filium, coelis testantibus, retinerent, certique essent verum Dei esse Filium quem Virgo pepererat; illum enim ut Deum Divinitas ipsa agnoscebat. Novi enim partus nova merentur obsequia. Ibi cum secundum hominem nascitur, mater Maria eum suo sino circumfovet; hoc cum secundum mysterium gignitur, eum Deus Pater sua voce complectitur. Ait enim: Hic est Filius meus, in quo mihi complacui bene, ipsum audite. Ergo mater in partu molli illum blanditur gremio, Pater vero in baptismo pio illi testimonio fabulatur. Mater illum magis adorandum ingerit, Pater colendum gentibus manifestat. Venit igitur Dominus hodie ad baptismum, et corpus suum voluit aqua dilui. Dicet fortasse aliquis: Si sanctus est, quare voluit baptizari? Audi ergo: ideo baptizatur Christus non ut sanctificetur ab aquis, sed ut aquas ipse sanctificet, et purificatione sui fluenta purificet illa quae tangit. Consecratio enim Christi consecratio est major elementi. Nam cum Salvator noster abluitur, jam tunc in nostri baptisma tota aqua mundatur, et purifcatur fons, ut secuturis postmodum populis lavacri gratia ministretur. Praecedit ergo per baptismum, ut Christiani post eum confidenter populi subsequantur. Atque ita columna ignis per mare Rubrum praecessit, ut quod monstrabat iter filii Israel intrepide sequerentur; et ipsa prius per aquas gressa est, ut post se ventientibus viandi semitam praepararet. Quod quidem, uti Apostolus ait, baptismi mysterium fuit. Et baptismum plane quodammodo erat ubi homines nubes operiebat, unda portabat. Haec autem omnia operatur est Christus Dominus, idem qui et modo: qui sicut tunc per mare Rubrum filios Israel in ignis columna praecessit; ita nunc per baptismum Christianos populos in corporis sui columna praecedit. Ipse, inquam, illa est columna quae tunc sequentium oculis lucem praestitit, modo vero lumen credentium oculis suppeditat; tunc in fluentis undarum semitam solidavit, nunc in baptismi lavacro fidei nostrae vestigia corroborat: per quam fidem qui intrepidus ambulaverit, persecutorem Aegyptium non timebit, atque ad coelestia regna perveniet, si fidem, quam tenet, bonis operibus confirmabit. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia XXX, De Bapstimo Christi II Source: Migne PL 57.291c-294a

In the Gospel, brothers, we have just heard that our Lord Jesus Christ had come to the sacred waters of the Jordan for the sake of baptism and that He wished to be consecrated in the heavenly mysteries in that river, and certainly we should not wonder why He presented Himself in such a manner. What He wished to accomplish is that He who was the first might command others to do the same, as a good teacher does not inculcate his teaching in words alone but exerts himself in the deeds of it. All these things this day were done manifestly, that we might be able to grasp the reason for it. For reason demands that after the day of the Lord's birth, even if years were set between, that this feast should follow in the same period, which I think should be called a birthday. Previously He was born for men, today He is reborn for the sacraments. Previously He came forth from the Virgin, today through mystery He was regenerated. For so the Lord arranged it in His infinite wisdom, lest there be a long separation between the vows of men. And so in that one and the same period of time there is the birth which gave joy to men on earth and the sanctification which caused joy in heaven, for He who was born of the Virgin, which the angels announced, they already possessed, as the son of God, by the witness of heaven, they retained, certain that it was the true son of God the Virgin bore, for Divinity itself recognised Him as God. New births merit new services. When He is born according to man, His mother Mary cherishes Him in her lap, when He grows according to the mystery, God the Father embraces Him with His voice. For He says: 'He is my Son, in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.' 1 Therefore at His birth His mother delights in Him in her soft lap, the Father, however speaks of Him with the witness of pious baptism. The mother holds Him forth for the adoration of the Magi, the Father reveals Him for the worship of the nations. Thus today the Lord comes to baptism, and He wishes that His body be washed with water. Perhaps someone will say: 'If He is holy, why did He wish to be baptised?' Hear, then: Christ is not baptised so that he might be sanctified by the water but that He sanctify the water and with His own purity purify the water which He touches. For the consecration of Christ is the greater consecration of the element. Then our Saviour was washed, now the water is cleansed and the fount is purified for our baptism, so that it might supply the grace of cleansing for a people to come. He went through baptism then, that Christians might follow with confidence later. As, then, that column of fire went ahead through the Red Sea, 2 so that it might show the way to the sons of Israel, and that they might follow bravely, so He first went into the water, to prepare the path for those coming on the way after. For certainly, as the Apostle said, baptism was a mystery. And indeed there was once a baptism when men were covered with a cloud bearing water. 3 All these things are done by Christ our Lord, the same one who now as then went through the Red sea as a column of fire before the sons of Israel. So now by baptism the pillar of His body goes before the Christian peoples. He, I say, is that pillar which gave light to the eyes of those who followed, and who now supplies light for the eyes of believers. Then He established a path in the flowing waters, now in the cleansing baptism of our faith He makes the way secure through which he who shall bravely walk in faith, shall not fear the pursuit of the Egyptians but come to the heavenly kingdom, if the faith which he holds is confirmed by good works. Saint Maximus of Turin, from Homily 30, on The Baptism Of Christ 1 Mt 2.17 2 Exod 13.17-14.29 3 1 Cor 10.1-2