The Baptism of the Lord
On the Sunday that follows the Epiphany of the Lord, the Church commemorates the baptism of Jesus and the beginning of his public mission in the world. Jesus began his mission, like any Christian does, by being baptized by one of those who are charged with representing him on earth. John the Baptist is indeed the figure of the Church at its beginning, and he is the one who resembles Christ, and represents him among the people of his time. When John the Baptist baptizes, he told the people that there was someone coming after him and he was not good enough to undo the strap of his sandals. The Baptism of the Lord emphasizes our incorporation into God’s family through baptism, mirroring Jesus’ own baptism. The first reading discusses being formed and called by God. The psalm highlights themes of peace, water, and salvation, integral to the baptismal experience. The second reading reflects on the start of the Good News with Jesus’ baptism.
The Gospel vividly recounts Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan, symbolizing the beginning of His ministry and our own spiritual journey through baptism. Many of us have been to a baptism but none of us remember the time we were baptised unless we were an adult who was baptized at the Easter Vigil or at another time. The beginning of the messianic work of Jesus is marked by the moment of his baptism in the Jordan. We remember that John the Baptist foretold Jesus coming and he is acclaimed on earth by John and Jesus links himself to John by being baptized by him. Jesus is acclaimed from heaven by the voice of the Father and the presence of the Spirit. Most of us rarely, if ever, think about our baptism. Through our baptism we died with Christ and have been reborn into a whole new life (Romans 6). We, the baptized, are made a part of the body of Christ. We are called to imitate Jesus, whom Paul says, “went about doing good.” We don’t need a detailed rule book in order to know how we should act in each situation of our lives, for in baptism, we have the companionship of the Spirit of Jesus who is our wisdom, our help and our guide to do good. The baptism of Jesus is a moment of special grace in the story of our salvation. Not only did the Son of God join us in our human condition but the Father and the Spirit were seen and heard to be present with him by the banks of the Jordan. At Jesus’ baptism, the voice heard from heaven identifies him as God’s beloved son. Our baptism also identifies us as beloved sons and daughters of the father. The Church teaches that baptism leaves a “mark” on us which can never be removed. No matter what we do, that mark is always with us. This gospel about Jesus and his baptism by John is the beginning of a purpose filled journey, which, through our own baptism, each of us is asked to travel. It is a journey and the purpose for us is to try and live our lives as people of God enlivened by the Holy Spirit so that others will be inspired to follow Christ by seeing the lives we lead as baptised people who believe in Jesus the Son of God and what he teaches us.
Fullerton T 