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The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Year A)

Christmas officially ends today as we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord even though the shopping malls would have us think that Christmas ended as the sun rose on December 26th. The epiphany (manifestation) of Jesus has been celebrated throughout this season of the liturgical calendar. Christ was manifested in his nativity, by his first miracle at the Wedding of Cana, and through the supernatural events surrounding his monumental baptism in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist. In a sense, the Epiphany culminates with today’s great feast.

Our first reading today comes from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. Speaking for God, Isaiah proclaims that the coming Messiah will be an anointed servant:

Thus says the Lord: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit” (Isaiah 42:1)

We hear the Prophet’s words echoed as Jesus is baptized. In the Gospel today, Saint Matthew the Evangelist records this momentous event:

After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:16-17)

This anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesy, is what makes Jesus the Messiah or Christ. Messiah or Christ, meaning “the anointed one,” is what Jesus becomes through this event. Jesus is anointed with the Spirit to accomplish three roles: (1) High Priest, (2) Prophet, and (3) Heavenly King.

As Christians, when we were baptized, we were at that time anointed with the Holy Spirit as priest, prophet, and king to share in the life and vocation of Jesus the Christ. We are to make of our life a complete self-sacrifice, offered in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Our witness to Jesus and his teaching among our family, friends, and coworkers fulfills our vocation as prophet. And, when we extend the reign of the King by submitting our lives and everything they entail – even our sexuality and finances – to the Lordship of Jesus, we extend the reign of Messiah Jesus.

As we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we recall a real, historical event in the life of Christ. This event is made present to us in the baptismal liturgy, for the liturgy extends the Paschal Mystery into our midst and allows us to partake in the saving events in the life of Christ through the sacraments. So, we are not merely calling to mind an anecdotal story from the past. Much more, this historical event has far-reaching implications for each and every one of our lives… if we allow it to have that impact upon us.