‘This is my Son, the Beloved’
As Christmastide draws to a close, we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which marks the start of Jesus’s adult ministry.
The First Reading from Isaiah tells of the qualities of justice and compassion that God’s chosen one will bring to the earth. He will come to us as a servant leader endowed with the spirit of God.
In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter teaches the early church that the Good News proclaimed by Jesus is not just for the chosen few, but for all people who love God (Second Reading).
The Psalm proclaims the glory of God in creation and tells us the Lord will bless his people with peace.
The Gospel shows how Jesus is baptised by his cousin John in the Jordan. With humility, Jesus shows us the path to truth by entering into the waters of baptism. The Holy Spirit descends on Jesus as God the Father proclaims that Jesus is his beloved Son. Theirs is a dynamic relationship of eternal, creative, self-giving love.
As Christians baptised in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we are called to follow Jesus by spreading the Good News to all people. As we pray this week, let us joyfully remember our baptismal promises so that we may follow Jesus more closely.
