The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The baptism of our Lord Jesus closes out Christmas time. It does not mean leaving behind the joy and light of Christmas or the grace we have received through the mystery of the Incarnation. We are going back to the ordinary time, the ordinary life with the Word made flesh among us, Emmanuel, God with us forever. In close relation with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus starts implementing, in very ordinary ways of living, an extraordinary reality: The Kingdom of God for the salvation of humankind and all God’s creation. Embodied in the person of Jesus, the Kingdom of God is present in our midst to overthrow the “foreign occupation” of sin and death.

That is why even though Jesus never shares our sinful being in taking our human nature, He asked to receive the baptism of repentance from John the Baptist to be one with us sinners and bring us back to God our Father. Through His baptism, Jesus met us in our deep desire of God beyond our sinful state that prevents us from a close relationship with God. Strengthening our relationship with God through an eternal covenant is the Redemptive mis-sion entrusted to Him by the Father. His Incarnation, ministry, passion, death, Resurrection, and glorious Ascension fulfilled the Redemptive mission, which we share in from the day we have been born through water and the Spirit (Jn 3: 5). John the Baptist had been baptizing only with water. In Jesus, we have been baptized not only with water but also with the Holy Spirit. Like Jesus Himself, we have been anointed and share in His kingship, priesthood, and prophetical role.

In the baptism of our Lord Jesus, the whole Trinity is involved. The heavens open and the Spirit descends and rests on Jesus. The Spirit dwells in Him, sustains Him to accomplish the mission of salvation willed by the Father. A voice came from heaven to confirm the Sonship of Jesus in whom the Father finds joy and and satisfaction. Therefore, with Jesus, the communication between God and humankind is restored. It requires from us an existential communion with the Father through the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The relationship between God the Father and the Son is a communion of love. And we are called to share in that love. God's love for Jesus is not something that Jesus has to earn. The Father loves His begotten Son and calls Him beloved. We too are beloved of God as we share in the divinity of Jesus who, through the mystery of Incarnation, humbled Himself to share in our humanity. Our baptism made us children of God in the Son as we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Are we aware that God is still speaking to us: “you are my beloved daughter” or “you are my beloved son”? However, is God well pleased with us? Or does God find joy and satisfaction in my way of living? A question to ponder everyday of our lives.

When we accept ourselves as the beloved children of God and work hard to live our lives accordingly, the Holy Spirit will be helping us, beyond the limits of our human condition, to carry out the mission of salvation entrusted to us by the Father, through Jesus Christ, His beloved Son. It is a question of becoming, by the grace of God, more and more true witnesses of the gospel in our everyday lives. Then we can be able to hear in the silence of our heart that holy voice crying out: “You are my beloved daughter/son; with you I am well pleased”.