The Baptism of the Lord

Ish 42:1-4, 6-7, Acts 10:34-38, Lk. 3:15-16.21-22. Today we celebrate the Feast of Baptism of the Lord which 'caps off' the Christmas season and expresses whom Jesus is: The Son of God. With this celebration, we begin the "First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C" - that is, "Ordered Time" to the Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time". The next special season is Lent which begins 30 days from now. That will then be followed by another special season - the 50-day Easter season. Then "Ordinary Time" picks up again and continues for many months, until Advent, which for this year will begin on December 1st.

In today's first reading, God presents His Son as the chosen and anointed One. This prophesy about the Messiah prefigures the Baptism of Christ, the anointed Son of God. The second reading is part of the speech of Peter at the house of Cornelius the Gentile centurion. Cornelius and his household believed in Christ and were baptized. However, if Baptism is the sacrament that washes away Original Sin, it does not in any way suggest that Christ was affected by Original Sin. The letter to the Hebrews tells us that: “Christ was like us in all things, except sin” (Heb. 4:15). Therefore, His Baptism was to manifest His full humanity, without undermining His divinity. In His Baptism, He fully identifies with us, a sign of solidarity with humanity. Today, the Church offers us a new opportunity to renew our commitment to Christ in whose name we were baptized. We are challenged to reflect on how we have been able to keep our own baptismal vow.

May the Lord, who feeds us with bread from Heaven, help us to listen to God with faith and become His children in name and in practice! Amen!! Good morning and Happy Sunday!!!