The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord brings the Christmas season to a close. It is a true Christmas mystery because it belongs to the larger mystery of Epiphany. Just as the star revealed Christ to the Magi, so too the Lord’s Baptism manifests the Savior to the world. Jesus’ descent into the waters of the Jordan at the age of thirty inaugurates the public mission that began with his humble birth.
At the Jordan, Jesus stands among the multitude – not only of Judea, but of all sinful humanity. John’s baptism is a sign of repentance, calling for conversion and newness of life. Jesus submits not out of his own need, but in humility and solidarity. From the cave of Bethlehem to the river Jordan, he stands where humanity stands, bearing our burdens of sin.
The descent into the water signifies death: death to sin and life apart from God. Rising from the water signifies forgiveness and the beginning of new life. These signs become fully clear only in light of the Cross and Resurrection. Jesus’ baptism already anticipates the Paschal Mystery, when the Lamb of God takes away the sins of the world. In our baptism, we confess our sins and seek freedom; in his baptism, our Lord takes that burden upon himself.
The Father’s voice – “This is my beloved Son” – and the Spirit descending like a dove reveal the mystery in its depth. Baptism opens the way from isolation into communion, drawing the baptized into the life of the Holy Trinity. As Christmas draws to a close, the Baptism of the Lord points us toward Lent and Easter, reminding us that the Child born in the manger leads us into the waters and, through them, into eternal life.
Fr. Richard Hermes, S.J.
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