The Baptism of the Lord, Monday (Where Epiphany was on 8th, Sunday)

Gospel: Mt 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan

to be baptized by him.

John tried to prevent him, saying,

“I need to be baptized by you,

and yet you are coming to me?”

Jesus said to him in reply,

“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us

to fulfill all righteousness.”

Then he allowed him.

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.”

Reflection: 

This is one of the events where the Holy Trinity is seen in unison, declaring divine approval upon Jesus our Redeemer as He steps into the waters of Baptism and identifies with us sinners. Jesus is not a sinner, but by receiving the Baptism of repentance for sinners, he chose to be one of us. Jesus being pure and purity itself, sanctifies the waters of Baptism so that by it we can be cleansed; for this purpose of redeeming sinners and drawing them back to the Father, He came. No one else is so righteous as to bear our sins on our behalf. No other is so gracious as to stoop down to the level of entering into our fallenness with us; by sharing our humanity, He let us share His divinity.

Action Plan: 

Today, reflect on the dignity of being children of God and the ‘belovedness’ to which Jesus has raised us by entering our human condition.