Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
Tit 2:11-14, 3:4-7
Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
The Baptism of the Lord is a significant event marking the first public revelation of all Three Persons of the Holy Trinity and the official declaration of Jesus as the Son of God to the world by God the Father. It is described by all four Gospels and marks the beginning of Jesus's public ministry.
This moment represented Jesus’s identification with us sinners. Although sinless, Jesus received the baptism of repentance to align Himself with His people, who realized for the first time their sinful nature.
It was a moment of conviction regarding His identity and mission: that He is the Son of God, with a mission to preach the Good News of God’s love and salvation and to atone for our sins by becoming the “suffering servant.” God the Father’s words, “This is my beloved Son," (as mentioned in Psalm 2:7), affirmed Jesus’ identity as God’s Son, and the words “with whom I am well pleased,” from Isaiah 42:1 (referring to the “suffering servant”), highlighted Jesus' mission of atoning for the sins of the world through His suffering and death on the cross.
The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus by descending on Him in the form of a dove, equipping Him with the power for preaching and healing. It was also a moment of decision to begin His public ministry at the most opportune time, having received the approval of His Heavenly Father as His beloved Son.
The Baptism of Jesus reminds us of our own identity. It calls us to remember who we are and whose we are. Through Baptism, we become sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, members of His Church, heirs of Heaven, and temples of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ Baptism also reminds us of our mission to recognize the presence of God within us, to affirm our dignity as God’s children, and to acknowledge the Divine Presence in others by loving and serving them. It urges us to live as the children of God in thought, word, and deed; to lead holy and transparent Christian lives; and not to disrespect our bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit and members of Jesus' Body. It encourages us to accept both the good and bad experiences of life as gifts from a loving Heavenly Father, intended for our growth in holiness, and to cultivate intimacy with God through prayer, meditative reading of the Word of God, and participating in the Holy Mass.
Today’s feast is an opportunity to thank God for the graces we received in Baptism, to renew our Baptismal promises, and to preach Christ’s “Good News” through the way we live our lives.