Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord

The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord

Feast Day: January 11

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” ~Mark 1:9–11

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is a movable feast that concludes the liturgical season of Christmas. It commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. Originally the baptism of Christ was celebrated on Epiphany, which until 1955, commemorated the coming of the Magi, the baptism of Christ and the wedding at Cana.

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is a liturgical bridge that connects the Christmas season to Ordinary Time. During the Christmas season the faithful reflect on the Incarnation, birth, Presentation in the Temple and Epiphany. On this feast, we see Jesus manifesting himself to the world as he prepares to begin his public ministry.

Just as he came into the world fully human as part of a family to reveal his closeness to the human race, Jesus began his ministry through baptism, another act of solidarity  with the fallen human race. John the Baptist had been preaching in the desert and offering a baptism of repentance. Jesus, fully human and fully divine had no need of this, yet chose to unite himself with fallen humanity, taking upon himself our own sins and suffering their consequences. This was done out of love for us and out of his longing to become one with us so that we could become one with him.

As we commemorate Jesus’s baptism liturgically, we celebrate the fact that our Christian baptism was the beginning of this new unity with the Holy Trinity. But we also celebrate our oneness with God, which is renewed every time we make an interior act of repentance for our sins. Every time we acknowledge and repent of our sin, we meet Christ anew, receive a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and affirm and deepen our adoption by the Father in Heaven.

Celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord:

• Attend Mass.
• Read Matthew 3:13-17 and discuss what Jesus's baptism means for your life.
• Recite your baptismal promises and the Apostles' Creed together as a family.
• Talk about godparents, baptism days and the significance of your own baptism.
• Go to confession as a way to cleanse yourself and renew your commitment to Christ. 
• Make a cake decorated with a cross or blue icing to represent water. You can also use the cake to symbolize the new life we receive through baptism.