Last Sunday, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the revelation of God Incarnate to the wise men from the east who proclaim Jesus as the King of the Jews. Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, another Epiphany, this time with God the Father revealing the identity of Jesus as “His Beloved Son” (Mt 3:17, Mk 1:11, Lk 3:22) to the crowds who were there to be baptized by John the Baptist.

John’s baptism is a baptism of repentance. Jesus did not need to be baptized for repentance because he was sinless (Heb 4:15, 1Pet 2:22, 1Jn 3:5). So why did Jesus submit himself to the John’s baptism of repentance meant for sinners?

In accepting John’s baptism, Jesus unites himself with humanity, to be identified with all sinners. The baptism of Jesus marks his acceptance and commencement of his mission as God’s suffering servant (Isa 53). Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29) and by his baptism, is anticipating the “baptism” of his passion and bloody death. Out of love, Jesus consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins by submitting entirely to his Father’s will (CCC 536). Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work” (Jn 4:34). Everything that Jesus does is in accordance with the will of his Father. During his baptism, Jesus received assurances about his identity as the “chosen one” and the “beloved Son of God” when the Father’s voice responds with “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mk 1:11). At the same time “the heavens were opened” – the heavens that Adam’s sin had closed – and by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, the waters were sanctified for the sacrament of baptism. (CCC 536).

Today, we are reminded of our own baptism. Do we remember the day of our baptism? To be baptized is to take the same mission of Christ upon ourselves. Baptism is a call to conversion, dying to our old sinful selves as we immerse in the waters, and rising up reborn anew as children of God, brothers and sisters of Christ, members of his church, heirs of heaven and temples of the Holy Spirit. At baptism, we are given a new name symbolizing a change in the relationship that we have with the Trinity and the birth of a new person in Christ. This birth symbolizes a share in the kingly, prophetic and priestly service of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the gateway to all the sacraments in the church.

Baptism seals us with an indelible spiritual mark of our belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. (CCC 1272) At baptism, we put on the white cloth of purity and are given the candle of the light of Christ. Is our white cloth of purity still kept spotless, through true repentance of our sins in the sacrament of reconciliation? We live in an egoistic world where wealth, power, honor and status are continuously glorified in the mass media. Are we still bearing the light of Christ whenever and wherever we are, holding fast to the teachings of Christ and the Church? We are all called to be his witnesses, to be the salt and the light of the world.

It is the Holy Spirit living in us that makes us children of God. We need to renew our relationship and deepen this relationship with the Holy Spirit in us through prayer, spending time in prayer to know God personally and improve our relationship with Him. The word tells us that our heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. (Lk 11:13)

Our baptism wins for us the redemption of Christ crucified and Risen, but that free gift comes with responsibilities. As members of the body of Christ, we have a mission to bring Christ into the world. That mission began with our baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of confirmation and fed each time we partake of the Holy Eucharist. We are called to follow the footsteps of our savior, Jesus Christ. This means that we too must submit ourselves to God’s wise and loving plans for our lives. (Jer 29:11) What is this plan? It’s none other than a call to holiness. (1Pet 1:15-16)

We are called to live as children of God in thought, word and deed so that our heavenly Father may say to each of us what he said to Jesus; “You are my beloved son/daughter with whom I am well pleased.” Like Jesus, all we undertake must flow from who we are – God’s beloved.

By the Grace of God

Anthony & Cecilia