St Genesius of Rome
(Is.40:1-5,9-11; Tit.2:11-14;3:4-7; Lk.3:15-16, 21-22)
Today, as we celebrate Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, let’s begin with the story of St Genesius of Rome.
Genesius was an actor and comedian who entertained the emperor Diocletian in the 3rd Century. He and his theatrical troupe generated great laughs by mocking Christianity.
In his last satirical play, Genesius pretended to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. It was meant to be funny, but during his performance something changed inside him: Genesius had a profound mystical experience. As he emerged from the water, he declared himself a Christian.
At first, Diocletian thought this was a joke, but on realising that Genesius was serious, he was enraged. He had Genesius tortured, and when he refused to renounce his new faith, Diocletian had him beheaded. [i]
Genesius had discovered that the Sacrament of Baptism is not a meaningless ritual at all. It’s actually a sacred rite that changes lives.
We can see this in Jesus’ own baptism, because after his immersion in the Jordan his life is never the same again. As he emerges from the water, a dove descends on him and he hears his heavenly Father say, ‘you are my beloved Son, my favour rests on you.’
After this dramatic moment, Jesus goes into the desert to contemplate what it means. And instead of returning to his old life in Nazareth, he begins his public ministry, widely proclaiming the arrival of God’s Kingdom.
So, what does Baptism do for us? Essentially, it gives us a fresh start.
In Greek, the word ‘baptise’ means ‘drown’ or ‘submerge,’ so baptism is a kind of death and resurrection. You die to your old self, and you emerge as a new you, with a new identity as a child of God and with a share of God’s supernatural life (Gal.3:26-29).
As Jesus says, you are ‘born again’ (Jn.3:3-5). And as a newly-adopted child of God, you also gain a new Father, a new brother (Jesus) a new mother (Mary), and you become a member of the Body of Christ, the Church (1Cor.12:27).
Indeed, you become a sister or brother to everyone else in God’s universal family (Eph.4:25), and you are called to use your gifts and talents to help build this community of love.
The American theologian Peter Kreeft says that our transformation in Baptism is like Pinocchio changing from a wooden puppet to a living thing, or like the frog turning into a prince when he is kissed.
But Pinocchio’s story is probably more accurate, he says, because once the frog is kissed, he is no longer a frog. But when Pinocchio comes to life, he is still wooden-headed; he’s unreliable, he makes bad choices and he learns to lie, so that his nose gets longer with every lie.
That describes us well, Kreeft says, because although Baptism washes us clean of sin and fills us with the Holy Spirit’s graces, we still tend to lapse back into the old ways of sin. [ii]
Why do we do that? One reason is because we misunderstand Baptism. Many of us treat it as a one-off inoculation, as though there’s nothing left to do.
It’s true that in Baptism we are reborn in the image of Christ, and therefore in God’s eyes we are made perfect. But when we succumb to sin, we squander that perfection.
Pope Francis says that Baptism is not a magical formula. Rather, it’s a gift of the Holy Spirit which helps us ‘fight against the spirit of evil’ and make this a better world.
However, as with any seed full of life, it can only take root and bear fruit when it’s planted in a terrain that’s actively fed by faith. [iii]
In other words, Baptism is only the start of the journey. The invisible seeds of grace that the Holy Spirit gives us need to be nourished and nurtured before they can bloom.
And how might we do that? By following Jesus closely, and by regularly participating in the sacraments (1Pet.1:13-16).
Today, St Genesius of Rome is the patron saint of actors, comedians and the performing arts.
He teaches us that something very special happens in Baptism, and that there’s always hope for a fresh start, no matter how far away God may seem.
[i] Arthur Tonne, Talks on the Sacraments, Didde Printing Co, Emporia, KS, 1947:28.
[ii] Peter Kreeft, Food for the Soul – Year C, Word on Fire, Park Ridge IL, 2021:156-157.
[iii] https://zenit.org/articles/general-audience-baptism-1-full-text/