This weekend, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which is commemorated as the first of the Luminous Mysteries added to the Rosary by Pope John Paul II in 2002. Jesus was baptized with sinners in the River Jordan, representing how He would take on the consequences of our sins. Just as Christmas commemorates the birth of Christ, the Feast of His Baptism which ends the Christmas season commemorates our spiritual birth. When Christ was baptized, three things happened, which give our own baptisms much spiritual significance. First, the sky was opened, which calls to mind Moses’ parting of the Red Sea to enter the Promised Land–we likewise have a path to enter the Kingdom of God through baptism. Second, the Holy Spirit descended over the waters to above Christ’s head in the form of a dove, which calls to mind the dove that Noah sent over the waters, representing new creation–we likewise become new Temples of the Holy Spirit in Baptism. Third, the Father called Jesus “my beloved Son”. When we are baptized, the grace of God makes us His sons and daughters, and forgives all our sins. From this, we can see how important baptism is and even during this time of pandemic, we ought to continue baptizing with fewer people in attendance. As Christians, we should be zealous for evangelizing, so that others might experience the grace of baptism and join the big family that is the Church.
“Spiritual Talk” – The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – Fr. Anthony Ho
