The Baptism of the Lord
Feast Day: Sunday After the Epiphany
John the Baptist had one job.
Baptize sinners who wanted to repent.
Then one day the line moved forward, and the next person was Jesus.
The sinless Son of God, standing in the water with sinners.
John had a fair question.
Jesus, beloved Son of the Father, have mercy on us.
“Comest Thou to Me?”
“But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?”
— Matthew 3:14, Douay-Rheims
Jesus answered:
“Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfill all justice.”
— Matthew 3:15, Douay-Rheims
Jesus did not need to be baptized.
He had no sins to wash away.
He went into the water for us.
He stood with sinners so that sinners could one day stand with Him.
The Heavens Opened
When Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened.
The Holy Spirit descended like a dove.
And the voice of the Father spoke:
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
— Matthew 3:17, Douay-Rheims
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all revealed at once.
It is one of the clearest pictures of the Holy Trinity in the whole Bible.
Jesus Made Water Holy
The Church Fathers loved to say that Jesus was not made holy by the water.
He made the water holy.
By stepping into the Jordan, He prepared the way for Christian Baptism.
When we are baptized, the same Spirit comes upon us.
And the Father looks at us and sees His beloved children.
The End of Christmas
The Baptism of the Lord closes the Christmas season.
We began with Jesus as a baby in the manger.
We end with Jesus as a grown man, beginning His public mission.
The next day, Ordinary Time begins.
When Is It Celebrated?
The Baptism of the Lord is a movable feast.
It is normally celebrated on the Sunday after the Epiphany.
In the United States, when the Epiphany falls on January 7 or 8, the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the following Monday.
In 2027, it falls on January 10.
In 2028, it falls on January 9.
What the Baptism of the Lord Teaches Us
This feast is a good day to remember your own baptism.
Do you know the date?
Many saints celebrated their baptism day like a birthday, because it was the day they were born into God’s family.
It also teaches us humility.
Jesus waited in line with everyone else.
When Is the Baptism of the Lord?
The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on the Sunday after the Epiphany, which closes the Christmas season.
Prayer Inspired by the Baptism of the Lord
Lord Jesus Christ,
You stepped into the Jordan with sinners
and made the waters holy for our baptism.
Help us live as beloved children of the Father,
filled with the Holy Spirit,
and faithful to the promises of our baptism.
Jesus, beloved Son of the Father, have mercy on us. Amen.
