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13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; 17 and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Through Adam death came into the world because of his disobedience. In the same way through the obedience of Christ, life came into the world.[1] The baptism of Jesus, which was done to fulfill all righteousness, was the first step for Jesus in our redemption. This is the beginning of His passion, which culminates with His crucifixion. His obedience reversed the disobedience of Adam. The Lord Jesus Himself ties baptism with crucifixion.
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
The words of Jesus were not just for John and James but for us also for all the disciples of Jesus Christ. Not all the apostles were crucified but all had to take up their cross spiritually. All disciples must take up their cross to follow after Jesus Christ.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? 27 For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.
By participating in baptism, we are also taking a first step. This is the first step of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. We join His crucifixion by taking up our cross. The apostle Paul states as much.
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
The apostle Paul was not literally nailed to the cross but was living the Christian life. He was following the words of the Lord, to take up the cross. Which means, dying to your own agenda, dying to your own will and choosing to follow His will.
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
In baptism, we die with Christ and are raised with Him in the resurrection. Baptism is linked to the crucifixion. The link is the cross that we are all called to carry. We are raised with Him in new life! In the resurrection, which is the next following series, He defeated death so that we can have life.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes this.
In his Passover Christ opened to all men the fountain of Baptism. He had already spoken of his Passion, which he was about to suffer in Jerusalem, as a “Baptism” with which he had to be baptized. The blood and water that flowed from the pierced side of the crucified Jesus are types of Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacraments of new life. From then on, it is possible “to be born of water and the Spirit” in order to enter the Kingdom of God. See where you are baptized, see where Baptism comes from, if not from the cross of Christ, from his death. There is the whole mystery: he died for you. In him you are redeemed, in him you are saved.
The Lord Jesus ties baptism in with His crucifixion. We are all called to baptism and subsequently to take up our cross and follow Him. Baptism is also tied in with His resurrection which brings us new life!
Live repentance. Be zealous. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
July 20, 2025, Sunday Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Be Zealous 
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