For it is not a man who is then baptizing, but the only-begotten Son of God Himself. And what was done upon the flesh of the Lord is happening now on us; for just as John seemed to hold back the flesh, the Word of God led to the Jordan's washbasin, baptized and from above the paternal voice was saying, 'This is my beloved Son.' So now, the Holy Spirit through His epiphany. This too happens to us, upon our flesh; for the baptism occurs in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, even John said, instructing us, 'It is not a man that baptizes us, but God. 'He who is coming after me, the mightier one, of whom I am not worthy to loose the strap of His sandal. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.' For this reason, the one baptizing does not say, 'I baptize this one,' but 'This one is being baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,'* indicating that it is not he who baptizes, but the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whose name is invoked.—St. John Chrysostom, Final Catechesis of the Baptizands
*St. John reflects here the custom of the Eastern Church to baptize in the passive, so as to stress the divine activity. In the west, the baptismal “I” is understood to be one who is standing in for the Blessed Trinity, in whose name the Baptism is administered.
2 comments:
Beautiful. My 3rd little babe will be baptized tomorrow. It is so comforting and awe producing to read these words.
Congratulations on the baptism of your third!
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