THROUGH UNTRUE
Today, we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. Although sinless, Jesus willingly presented Himself to be baptized to affirm His identity as the Messiah, whose perfect atonement cleanses our sinfulness and grants us salvation. He also demonstrated that baptism is an essential requirement for becoming a faithful Christian. As He commanded His disciples during the Ascension: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
We learned from our catechism that baptism washes away original sin — a condition we all inherited at birth, which stains the pristine beauty of innocence, burdens us with guilt and shame and alienates us from God and others. Perhaps, it is from the transformative power of baptism that we derive the saying, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Purified by baptism, every human being reflects the profound truth of having been created in God’s image.
Sadly, modern culture has shifted our focus from spiritual purity to physical hygiene. This trend, in a sense, has long been evident among Filipinos. Many Spanish missionaries during the colonial period perceived the Filipino habit of frequent bathing as vanity, preaching against it in their sermons. Their view was perhaps influenced by the cold winters they experienced, which made bathing less of a necessity. Conversely, Filipinos, accustomed to intense heat and humidity, valued bathing not only as a means of relief and refreshment but also as a way to maintain physical cleanliness.
Even today, we Filipinos generally place high importance on physical hygiene, making us eager consumers in the booming hygiene industry. However, this industry has redefined the meaning of cleanliness. Bathing and washing are no longer enough; we are now encouraged to soap, shampoo, deodorize, disinfect, and douse ourselves with synthetic fragrances. Cleanliness has been turned into a marketable, expensive commodity.
Advertisers of cleansing and beauty products have played a key role in this shift. They suggest that cleanliness is the gateway to social acceptability and desirability. By using attractive models and celebrities, they fuel our desire to be loved and accepted. Social media amplifies this message, persuading us to buy cleansing and beauty products in the hope of becoming members of the elite group of people who are redeemed from pimples, bad breath, body odor, or dark skin. As one ad proclaims, “Ang may B.O., hindi kasali! (If you have body odor, you don’t belong!).”
As a byproduct of aggressive capitalism, the hygiene industry ensures its profitability by continuously introducing new “antibacterial” or “antiviral” products. Yet, these so-called “super cleansers and detergents” are often no more effective than ordinary soap, whose basic chemical composition is sufficient to kill bacteria and viruses. Overloading soaps with germicidal chemicals may even contribute to the emergence of bacteria resistant to these agents.
The excessive focus on physical hygiene is partly rooted in the materialistic nature of contemporary society. Technology, mass media, and consumerism have cultivated a culture of instant gratification, where tangible results — such as flawless skin or a perfect body — are celebrated more than virtues that require time and effort to nurture. A soap advertisement humorously illustrates this misplaced emphasis by claiming, “Kapag ginamit mo ang sabong ito, malinis pati konsiyensya mo! (When you use this soap, even your conscience is clean!).”
Today’s Feast of the Baptism of Jesus reminds us that while physical cleanliness is essential, our concern for bodily hygiene should not overshadow the need to cultivate moral and spiritual virtues that enable us to overcome sin and its consequences. True well-being is achieved when the body and soul are in harmony.