I’ve been blessed to stand aside the Jordan River twice, each time on two different trips to Israel. The first time was the area believed to be where John baptized Jesus. At that point, the River is about 15 feet wide. And as far as its deepness; a short person can step into the water without drowning. Also, the water at this stage of the River is pretty muddy. We don’t know if it was this color the day Jesus was baptized. If it was, he cleaned it up. The second time at the River Jordan was near the source of it. Near the beginning up in Caesarea Philippi, in northern Israel where Jesus told Peter he was the Rock of the Church, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against her. It’s just a light stream at this point, the water very clear, looking drinkable. One could probably jump from one side to the other while stepping in the river just once. The Jordan River is not the Mississippi. And, it’s not the Missouri, the Ohio, the Allegheny, the Ganges, the Thames, or any other river with great amounts of water flowing powerfully along, where you could get caught up in a current and die, never to be found again. The Jordan River is small, tiny, not a major River by any means. It remains a source of water for the Sea of Galilee, feeding the sea made famous by Jesus walking on it; made famous by Jesus calling his first 4 Apostles from their boats to come and follow him all the way to a martyr’s death and heaven – only half of that sounds enticing; and, the sea made famous where the Lord sat along the seashore with Peter and a few others, eating a post-resurrection breakfast together, Jesus asking Peter 3 times, “Simon, son of John. Do you love me?” Three times, of course, to wipe away Peter’s three sinful offenses in his denials of knowing his Savior, which caused Peter to weep bitterly, as it should have for any person with a good conscience. So, from all this information connected to the River Jordan, I pass on a couple thoughts on this day of our Lord’s Baptism, the One who didn’t need to be baptized by a mere mortal like John, as great as his Prophet status was. Because, truth be told, who of us can baptize the sinless Son of God? Only through his approval can one do so. The first thought that concerns our faith as connected to the Jordan River is its lack of a strong current capable to take us under, leading to death. The Jordan River is gentle in this regard. However, the Jordan brings forth a great spiritual reality – a powerful current - found only in this River, that extends through the baptismal font in every Church. It’s the strong current that has caused us to already die with Christ, and for Christ. This happened to us the day we were baptized. In a world going somewhat paranoia, we recall for our benefit that we’ve been caught up in the powerful spiritual current of the Jordan, and that we have already died once. We died to sin, in order to live for Christ. And to live for Christ is to live in holiness. Yea, we all fall apart at times, as did all the great Saints in the Church except for the Mother of God. But when we fall apart in our little world, if we return momentarily to being a pagan Gentile, we act on the message that accompanies Baptism; to repent. Being baptized into the death of Christ, dying once already as we have, opens the door to future acts of repentance. May we never forget this gift. The physical current of the Jordan River is gentle, as it was the day John baptized Jesus; the day Jesus showed us how we initiate our lives into his, when we became the imprint of his being, where the two of us have become one flesh in Baptism. But the other current in the Jordan – this tiny River – is stronger than any current found at any ocean or river. It’s the current that allowed our souls to die for Christ, so that we may rise to new life in his resurrection. The current of the Jordan River is an interesting dichotomy found only in that River. The second thought as connected to the Jordan and its current is further connected to St. Peter’s three denials of Christ. We know that every time we sin, large or small, mortal or venial, we destroy some percentage of our relationship with the Lord. Peter, we know, messed up in a huge way. He got scared and denied he knew his Savior. Fear will do this. But our Baptism, thanks be to God, has opened the door to repentance and absolution. Unlike Judas, who went his own way, Peter never reached the point of despair. He never lost the future mercy that accompanies Baptism. Jesus certainly made it easy for the lead Apostle by asking him 3 times, “Do you love me?” The same question he asks us every day of our lives. But on the seashore as they ate breakfast, Peter experienced the loving mercy that emanates from the heart of Christ, made possible for us through Baptism. Let’s take advantage of this incredible gift freely given to us, a gift that always returns us to right relationship with God. The earthly source of all these gifts from above is found in the tiny Jordan River and its unique current that no other river or ocean can match.