Questions and Answers

                                 Why was Jesus baptized if he was without sin?
Much of what Jesus did in his ministry was to be an example for us.  Though he was sinless, Jesus allowed himself to be baptized by John as a visible sign of his willingness to obey the Father's will.  Doing the Father's will is what he wants from us.  After Jesus was baptized, the skies opened up and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus.  "And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).
Baptism is often called, "The Gateway Sacrament," because it is the first one we receive when coming into the Catholic Church and the others.  It is usually administered to infants for that reason.  Baptism is key to our own redemption so it is fitting that Jesus led the way.  We follow him.  "There is the whole mystery:  he died for you.  In him you are redeemed, in him you are saved"  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1225).


                      Does following the Beatitudes mean I have to be miserable to be happy?
The Beatitudes can seem contradictory or confusing.  Yet Jesus meant them as foolproof ways to obtain happiness here and in Heaven.
When he created us, God put the desire for happiness in our hearts (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1718).
Knowing how to read the Beatitude blueprint is the key to that happiness.
For example, Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 5:3).  That doesn't mean we should be unhappy in order to get to Heaven.  Rather, it means that instead of trying to go through life on our own, we can surrender to our dependence on God and he will lead us to Heaven.
Jesus demonstrated how to live the Beatitudes.  When he saw suffering, he mourned, and didn't give in to his desire to "feel good."  He was pure of heart and lived by God's laws.  When he was insulted, he refused to react in violence.  He showed mercy by forgiving his tormentors, returning good for evil.