Lesson 10

Jesus stayed at Nazareth until the age of thirty.Then He came to Jordan and received baptism from John the Baptist.The Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove.Jesus returned from Jordan filled with the Holy Spirit.The Holy Spirit led Him into desert.There He was tempted by the devil.He won over all the temptations and returned to Galilee with the power of the Spirit.

Then Jesus came to Nazareth where he grew up.As usual,on a Sabbath day He entered the Synagogue and stoodf up to read.He began to read from the book of prophet Isaiah.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,to let the oppressed go free.to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4: 18-19)-After reading passage Jesus said to the people:While you are listening,this word is being fulfilled.

Jesus begins His public life after being anointed by the Spirit in baptism.Through baptism,we also receive the Holy Spirit and become the children of God.We are born in sin due to the sin of our first parents.

It is Jesus who lifts us up from this sinful state and makes us children of God.Jesus instituted the sacrament of baptism for this.Jesus said to his disciples:”Go,therefore and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

We receive baptism when we are infants.Baptism is given in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.Through this,by the power of the Holy Spirit we became the children of God.A special anointing of the same Spirit is given to us through the sacrament of anointing with the oil.

Baptism liberates us from sin and gives us divine life.With baptism we become God’s children and heirs to heaven.

Divine life is also termed as grace.Our original sin is eradicated by baptism,If grown up people receive baptism,their actual sins also will be pardoned.The godfather and godmother of the child confess for the child the faith in Jesus as the child receives baptism.If the grown ups receive baptism they themselves have to profess their faith in Jesus.

Divine life gives us the power to live like the children of God.Let us thank Jesus who made us the children of God through baptism,and try to live without losing this divine life given to us.

Let us pray

Jesus who gave me divine life

Through baptism,help me to

Grow daily in this divine life.

Let us sing

When Jesus was baptized

In the waters of the Jordan,

The Spirit of God descended-

Like a dove came down on him.

Then suddenly from heaven,

The Father’s voice was heard:

This is my Son,the Beloved,

My favour rests on him.

The waters of Baptism

They make an end of sin;

A new beginning of goodness

God’s Holy Spirit brings.

Riddle

Present in bath,not in wrath.

Present in pat,not in rat.

Present in turn,not in urn.

Present in tiny,not in honey.

Present in prism,not in prison.

My decision

I will keep up the divine life given in baptism.