How low can you go?

The answer is: about 430 metres below sea level. At least that's as low as you can go while still in the open air, on the surface of the Dead Sea (which obviously doesn't count as normal 'sea level').

This last Sunday was the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, when we celebrate Jesus' baptism at the hands of John the Baptist. So where better to celebrate it than at the place where it actually happened? Thanks to the generosity of the Friars Minor of the Holy Land I was privileged to be there with them for Mass on the banks of the Jordan River.

OK, admittedly we didn't actually celebrate in the river itself, and even the baby who was baptised during the Mass was done with a large bowl of water rather than the muddier option a few metres away.

Afterwards, however, we did go those few steps further down to the waters of the Jordan, and some brave souls took the plunge:

At that point we were about 400 metres below sea level. Which means that Jesus, in coming to be baptised, came just about as low as anyone can physically go. Which is symbolically important, because His coming to be baptised was a sign that He, although sinless, comes right down into the depths of human misery and sin with us, so that He can then take us with Him as He rises up again. In that mission, Jesus did go as low as one can go. And now He has gone up as high as it's possible to go, to the throne of God.