When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching the Jordan River, he said to his disciples: “Behold the Lamb of God, Who taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). The “Lamb of God” comes to him to be baptized, to which John replies in amazement, “I have need to be baptized of Thee and comest Thou to me?” (Matt. 3:14). The Lord responded: “Suffer (allow) it be so, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Having received such a high calling from God Himself, John did indeed baptize the Lord Who, immediately thereafter went into the desert to fast for forty days. At the end of this fast, Satan himself dared to tempt the Son of God, the Son of Man, and was, of course, rebuffed. Only then did Our Lord reenter the world to begin His salvific ministry.
This narrative begs the question: Why did the Son of God need to fast? Why did He, throughout His earthly lifetime, attend services in the synagogues? Why did the Son of Man have to tolerate temptation? Why did The Lord, Our God – Who is the very source of Divine Grace – allow Himself to be baptized? The answer is given to us by the Lord Himself. By doing these things, He demonstrated to us that He is truly and completely human – with the one exception of sin – and that He understands the needs and difficulties of our human nature. With this, He then shows us by His own example what we need “to fulfill all righteousness.”
The grace of Baptism and the other Sacraments provided through Christ’s Holy Church is the very source of life itself. Fasting helps us to rebuff temptation and strengthens our resolve to walk the path of righteousness. The culmination of Christ’s earthly ministry takes place on the Cross, showing us the ultimate act of love, through which His entire ministry and example are justified and sanctified by His most precious Blood. Having been given this path by Our Lord, God and Saviour, Who demonstrated to us what is necessary for us and what we need to follow it, let us take advantage of this year’s Great Lent by following His example and truly commit ourselves to that path, so that we too may “fulfill all righteousness” now, and for the rest of our lives.
God Bless!
Fr. Alexander
