The Baptism of the Lord — The Beginning of the Gospel

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks a turning point.

Until now, the Church has been celebrating the hidden mystery of Christ —
the child in Bethlehem,
the family in Nazareth,
the quiet years of obedience and growth.

Today, Christ steps into public view.

And the way He chooses to begin tells us everything about who He is
and what He has come to do.

If we were planning the Messiah’s first public appearance,
we would not choose the River Jordan.

We might choose the Temple.
Or the courts of power.
Or a great public miracle.

But Jesus goes to the Jordan —
to a place associated with repentance, confession, and sin.

John the Baptist is there, calling people to change their lives.
People are stepping into the water to acknowledge their need for mercy.

And Jesus joins them.

This is the first shock of the feast.

John understands immediately that something is wrong.

His baptism is for sinners.
Jesus has no sin.

So John protests: “I need to be baptised by you, and yet you come to me?”

John recognises the holiness of Christ.
He recognises the difference between himself and the One before him.

And yet Jesus insists. “Allow it now, for this is the way to fulfil all righteousness.”

Jesus is not dismissing John’s concern.
He is revealing His mission.

Jesus does not enter the water because He needs cleansing.
He enters the water because we do.

From the very beginning of His public life,
Jesus chooses to stand where sinners stand.

He does not remain above the crowd.
He does not keep His distance.

He steps into the line.
He takes His place among those who need mercy.

This is not a moment of weakness.
It is a moment of decision.

Jesus is saying, without words:

“I am with them.
I will carry this.
I will go where they must go.”

Already, the Cross is in view.

Then the Gospel tells us: “The heavens were opened.”

This is not simply a visual detail.

In the language of Scripture, closed heavens mean separation —
distance between God and humanity caused by sin.

Opened heavens mean access, reconciliation, life restored.

What was closed through disobedience
is opened through obedience.

At the Jordan,
the barrier between heaven and earth is breached.

Not by human effort,
but by Christ’s humility.

The Spirit descends like a dove.

The image is gentle,
but it is also rich with meaning.

The Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation
now descends upon Christ at the beginning of the new creation.

The Spirit who empowered prophets and kings
now rests permanently upon the Son.

This is not a temporary anointing.
It is the public manifestation of who Jesus already is.

He is the One sent by the Father,
anointed by the Spirit,
to bring salvation to the world.

Then the voice of the Father is heard:

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

This is not encouragement.
It is revelation.

The Father identifies Jesus publicly as His Son.

He affirms His obedience.
He confirms His mission.
He declares His delight.

Before Jesus has preached a sermon,
before He has worked a miracle,
before He has called a disciple,

the Father speaks love.

This tells us something essential.

Jesus’ mission flows from relationship,
not from performance.

The first reading from Isaiah now makes sense.

The servant of the Lord is gentle.
He does not shout or crush the weak.
He brings justice faithfully.

This servant is not triumphant in worldly terms.
He is faithful, patient, obedient.

At the Jordan,
Jesus is revealed as this servant.

The Messiah who will save not by force,
but by self-giving love.

This feast is not only about Christ.
It is about us.

Because what happens publicly to Jesus at the Jordan
happens sacramentally to us at Baptism.

In Baptism:

• sin is washed away
• grace is given
• the Spirit comes to dwell within us
• heaven is opened to us
• we become children of God

The same Father who says,
“This is my beloved Son,”
says over each baptised person:

“You belong to me.”

Baptism is not a symbol alone.
It is a real change of identity.

The Church also reminds us today
that Baptism is not the end of something,
but the beginning.

Jesus’ baptism marks the start of His public mission.

Our baptism marks the start of ours.

From that moment on,
we are called to live as those who belong to Christ.

That means choosing obedience over convenience.
Truth over comfort.
Faithfulness over popularity.

It means returning to grace when we fall.
It means taking sin seriously and mercy seriously.

The danger is that Baptism becomes something in the past —
a date in a book,
a photograph in an album.

The Church places this feast before us each year
to remind us who we are.

We are not self-made.
We are claimed.

We are not abandoned.
We are accompanied.

We are not left to save ourselves.
We are saved — and sent.

At the Jordan,
Jesus steps into the water
so that we might step into life.

He takes His place among sinners
so that sinners may take their place with God.

The heavens are opened.
The Spirit descends.
The Father speaks.

And the path of salvation begins.

May we remember our baptism with gratitude.
May we live it with seriousness.
And may we follow the One
who stood where we stand
so that we might stand where He is.