to John at the Jordan,
to be baptized by him.
John would have prevented him, saying,
"I need to be baptized by you,
and do you come to me?"
But Jesus answered him,
"Let it be so now;
for it is proper for us in this way
to fulfill all righteousness."
Then he consented.
And when Jesus had been baptized,
just as he came up from the water,
suddenly the heavens were opened to him
and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove
and alighting on him.
And a voice from heaven said,
"This is my Son, the Beloved,
with whom I am well pleased."
Baptism of Christ
Andrea del Verrocchio, ca. 1472
Dear friends,
Today we will reflect on the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 3:15, in which he says, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness."
In this passage, Jesus is being baptized by John the Baptist, and John initially resists, saying that it is he who should be baptized by Jesus. But Jesus insists, stating that it is necessary for them to fulfill all righteousness.
But what does it mean to "fulfill all righteousness"? To understand this, we must consider the broader teachings of the Buddha and the importance of ethical conduct in the spiritual path.
In Buddhism, we seek to cultivate a mind of compassion and wisdom, and to engage in actions that are skillful and lead to positive consequences. This is known as kusala-kamma, or "skillful action." In other words, to fulfill righteousness is to act in a way that is in alignment with the teachings of the Buddha and that helps us to develop our own goodness and benefit others.
In the context of Jesus' baptism, we can understand his words to mean that it is necessary for him to engage in this ritual in order to demonstrate his commitment to living a righteous life and to fulfilling his role as a spiritual teacher. By submitting to the baptism, Jesus is showing his willingness to follow the teachings of John and to embark on his own spiritual journey.
So, dear friends, let us also strive to fulfill all righteousness in our own lives, by cultivating a mind of compassion and wisdom and by engaging in actions that are skillful and lead to positive consequences. May we all follow the example of Jesus and seek to fulfill our own potential for goodness and spiritual growth.