The Baptism of the Lord

On this Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which brings the Christmas season to its close. At the Jordan River, Jesus steps into the waters and is revealed as the beloved Son of the Father as the Holy Spirit descends upon him. This moment is not only a revelation of who Jesus is, but also a sign of what he has come to accomplish for our salvation.

To understand this feast, we first ask: what is Baptism, and why does it matter? The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit” (CCC 1213). Baptism is not merely a symbolic washing, but a saving act of God, through which profound changes take place within us. Through baptism original and personal sin is washed away, we become adopted sons and daughters of the Father, and we are incorporated into the Church, the living Body of Christ, sharing in God’s own divine life.

Because Baptism truly gives new life, Jesus speaks of its necessity: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). For this reason, the Church encourages Baptism as soon as possible, especially for infants, while entrusting those who die without Baptism to the mercy of God (cf. CCC 1261). While God is not limited by the sacraments, the Church teaches that Baptism is necessary for those who hear the Gospel and are able to receive it (cf. CCC 1257).

These truths are powerfully suggested in The Baptism of Jesus by Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci, featured on our bulletin cover. Jesus stands humbly in the Jordan as the heavens open. St. John the Baptist baptizes Christ while holding his banner that proclaims Jesus as the Lamb of God. In the same hand, John bears a cross, pointing beyond the waters of the Jordan to another baptism yet to come, the baptism of blood on Calvary.

Why, then, was Jesus baptized if he had no sin? The Catechism explains that “the Baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God’s suffering Servant” (CCC 536). By entering the waters of the Jordan, Jesus sanctifies them for us, but John’s banner and cross remind us that these waters lead to Calvary. There, Jesus will undergo a “baptism in blood,” pouring out his life on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.

As we celebrate this feast and enter into ordinary time, may we renew our gratitude for our own Baptism and recommit ourselves to living as beloved sons and daughters of God, united to Christ in his death and resurrection and called to share his saving love with the world.