Art and a Poem, Day 12, January 12, 2014

The Baptism of Christ Piero della Francesca circa 1448-1450

The Baptism of Christ
Piero della Francesca
circa 1448-1450

 

When The Lord Was Baptized

by St Nikolai Velimirovitch

When the Lord was baptized in the river Jordan;

On that bright day before all the people,

The Heavens on high became wide open,

And the angels drew near to the water.

At once St. John was filled with fear

On feeling the Heavens breathing so near.

The Spirit Almighty as a dove descended,

To rest on Christ, God’s Son beloved.

In this way God sanctified the waters,

And when the Lord rose up from it,

A strange voice was heard from Heaven:

“This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

Listen to what He will tell you about Me.

Obey Him so that you can find joy in Me.

Obey Him so that you can crush every devil,

And be received as my sons in Heaven.”

Dear brothers we were baptized also;

Sanctified by the Spirit Almighty

And, in Christ’s army we are called to fight,

And in eternity to glorify His love and might.

When the Lord was baptized in the river Jordan;

On that bright day before all the people,

The heavens on high became wide open,

And the angels drew near to the water.

I wanted art that reflected the absolute beauty of this day. A day when Christ humbled himself and allowed John the Baptist to baptize Him. Something the Baptist was loathe to do, knowing, as he did, who this man was. But rather than re-hash the story and what it means here, I will let the Orthodox Saint Nikolai Velimirovitch’s poem do the talking. God Bless.