A Reflection for the Baptism of the Lord
Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. (Mk 1:9b-10)
Along with yesterday’s feast of the Epiphany and the wedding at Cana, today’s feast, the Baptism of the Lord, is one of the three epiphanies of Jesus’ humanity, according to the early Church Fathers. In each, Jesus reveals himself in a new way to us: as the newborn king worshiped by the Magi, as the Lamb of God prophesied in the Old Testament and as the one who performs miracles from God. The three feasts used to be celebrated all on the same day, January 6, because they were so closely related.
In these three revelations, Jesus’ humanity becomes fully realized, first, when he is very young, to the Magi, then, to John and the onlookers at his baptism, just before his public ministry begins.
Today, on the celebration of his baptism, Jesus reveals himself to all of us specifically as the sinless Son of God. His baptism comes about in a different way than the ones we have today in baptismal fonts; John recognizes that Jesus is the sinless one who will forgive sins, and he does not need baptism like the rest of us.
We can reflect on our own baptisms today, but today’s feast is not technically the celebration of a baptism as we know it: When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, he did not have any sins to be forgiven. He showed us what we should do, the first steps of becoming a Christian, but he himself did not need to be baptized, because he had no original sin to be forgiven.
Early Church Father St. Peter Chrysologus writes, “Today a servant lays his hand on the Lord, a man lays his hand on God, John lays his hand on Christ, not to forgive but to receive forgiveness.”
At Jesus’ baptism, a voice from the heavens says, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” He fulfills the prophecy in today’s first reading from Isaiah: This is my servant, ”my chosen one with whom I am pleased.” God proclaims this Son of Man to simultaneously be the Son of God.
We can think of today’s feast as a “part two” to yesterday’s, wherein Jesus was revealed to the Magi, who were Gentiles, as he is now revealed to John the Baptist’s followers, who were Jews. These two revelations alone point to Jesus’ epiphany to all people, not only to a chosen people.
Coming just after the Christmas season, the Baptism of the Lord gives us an opportunity to reflect on Jesus’ revelation as the Son of Man many years (or just 24 hours) after the Magi have come to adore him.
