Cycle A - Year II:  

12 January 2014: Feast of the Lord's Baptism

(Liturgical color: White)

Matthew 3:13-17

The Lord's Baptism: the start of his public ministry!

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Lord's Baptism. Some Church people say that today is actually the official closing of the Christmas season.

You recall that we celebrated the Lord's Epiphany on the first Sunday of the month. We reflected that "Epiphany" means the manifestation or appearance of Jesus as our Lord and King. Well, the baptism of our Lord is like a second "Epiphany", because in his baptism our Lord's identity as the Son of God is made known through the voice of God the Father Himself and confirmed by the appearance of the Holy Spirit in bodily form of a dove.

In today's Gospel by Matthew, Jesus goes to be baptized by John the Baptist at the river Jordan. At first John tries to talk him out of it, saying "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?" But Jesus insists it is necessary to do all of God's will.

We know of course that even in his humanity Jesus Christ was perfect and so he had no need to be cleansed and regenerated in the waters of baptism. So, therefore, we ask, "Why did the Lord chose to be baptized by John the Baptist?"

We found the answer to that question in the writings of St. Maximus of Turin who lived in the late fourth century. St. Maximus tells us that "Christ was baptized not to be made holy by the waters of baptism but rather to make holy the waters of baptism and to purify these waters with His Body, so that all who would be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would be cleansed of original sin, and be made adopted sons and daughters of the most high God. In doing so, Christ has elevated baptism to the dignity of a sacrament."

The baptism of Jesus inaugurates the beginning of his public ministry and his mission as the Messiah. This event has important and practical implications for us as well.  It is good to know the significant effects of baptism in all baptized Christians:

Baptism is the first and most necessary sacrament for our salvation. In baptism we are washed free of original sin inherited by all human beings due to the fall of Adam and Eve as recorded in the Book of Genesis.

In baptism, the soul infused with sanctifying grace that makes us adopted children of the Father, and allows for the indwelling of the Trinity in our soul.

In baptism, the soul experiences an infusion of the "theological virtues" of faith, hope, and charity. They are so-called because these are the virtues most oriented toward God. In layman's language, these are the virtues that lead us to know and love God.

In baptism, we receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, namely: wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. The Church teaches that "these gifts are given in potential state, waiting to be actualized." That is why parents and godparents undertake an immense responsibility when the child is baptized. Because parents and godparents are charged with drawing out, or "actualizing" these gifts and theological virtues that God has infused into the child's soul at baptism through their own guidance and examples.

The Feast of the Lord's Baptism reminds us that by our baptism we commit ourselves to take active part in the mission of the Church to preach the Good News of God's kingdom in words and deeds. In other words, our baptism is made alive in us when we live as true Christians at home, in the work place, and wherever we are. 

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!