Reflection: The Baptism of the Lord...

Today is the Feast Day of the Baptism of Our Lord. In the life of Christ, His Baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist marks the beginning of His public life. A dove descends upon Him representing the power of God and the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of Jesus occurred when He was thirty years old and marked the beginning of His three year public ministry of teaching, healing, delivering and performing miracles. Saint Peter stated that His Baptism was in fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Christ, the Messiah, which means the Anointed One:

"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went along doing good and healing all who were in the power of the devil, for God was with Him."  Acts 10:38

An anointing means an intimate union or covenant between God and one of His servants. God the Father speaks at this moment, to make clear who this Person is, His Divine Son, begotten from all eternity:

You are My Beloved Son; with You, I am well pleased.

Through His Baptism, Jesus, who was without sin, assumed the sins of the world, descended into the purifying waters to make the water holy, and to raise mankind to be children of God. His Baptism was for our personal redemption. Our lives are changed forever by Christ’s redemptive sacrifice, through our Baptism, our attendance at Holy Mass, and our death in Christ. Jesus went out to be baptized by John the Baptist, not for repentance, but to be a model for us, as a way to approach the Heavenly Father. The mystery of His Baptism is mercy. In the Baptism of Jesus, we see the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

"This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth." 1 John 5:6

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, "You are My Beloved Son; with You, I am well pleased." Luke 3:22

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: The Sacrament of Baptism
Baptism seals the Christian with an indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. CCC 1272  Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life. CCC 1274



May the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with Our Blessed Mother Mary, protect all those we pray for through this prayer ministry.