Many of the actions Jesus did in his life were not for his own sake, but for our benefit. Such was the case with his baptism, as he did not need to be baptized.
It can be tempting at times to think that we are not in need of any cleansing and that somehow we are perfect.
Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we know that we are in need of purification.
Continue to be cleansed
St. Gregory of Nazianzus reflects on this spiritual truth in a homily included in the Office of Readings:
Today let us do honor to Christ’s baptism and celebrate this feast in holiness. Be cleansed entirely and continue to be cleansed. Nothing gives such pleasure to God as the conversion and salvation of men, for whom his every word and every revelation exist.
We may have already received the sacrament of baptism, but that does not mean our journey of conversion stops there.
Our entire life is a journey of conversion and are are in constant need of being cleansed by God's purifying waters.
This purification is achieved every time we go to confession and ask for God's forgiveness through the priest.
St. Gregory explains that we need to be cleansed so that we can more powerfully respond to God's call in our lives:
He wants you to become a living force for all mankind, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the great light, bathed in the glory of him who is the light of heaven. You are to enjoy more and more the pure and dazzling light of the Trinity, as now you have received – though not in its fullness – a ray of its splendor, proceeding from the one God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever.
God urges us to not be satisfied with our sinful life, but to be continually renewed so that we can go out into the world and proclaim the good news.
