God's beloved Son

Gospel MT 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying, 
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him, 
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, 
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Even Jesus was baptized!  It must be an important ritual - and it is.  I was reading a description of baptism from our parish life director who stated that for us baptism is BOTH a public welcoming into the faith community and it also demonstrates the forgiveness of our sins.  That's a nice spiritual one-two punch!  For Jesus it was the beginning of his public ministry.  For me, it means that I'm not alone - not only is God on my side, but my family goes beyond blood and includes the vast community of saints all through the generations.  I guess with everything I've seen in movies these days, it's easy to imagine the voice from the heavens saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."  That is also a message that God says to me and what a comforting message it is.