Baptism of the Lord.

“You Are My Beloved”

Today we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, an event that brings the Christmas season to its fulfillment and opens the door to Jesus’ public ministry. At the Jordan River, heaven is opened, the Spirit descends, and the voice of the Father is heard: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” This feast invites us not only to contemplate who Jesus is, but also to rediscover who we are, because the baptism of Jesus gives meaning, direction, and mission to our own baptism.

In the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist is shocked. He knows that Jesus is sinless, yet Jesus insists:

“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Mt 3:15). Jesus did not need repentance. Instead, He chose to stand with sinners. He entered the waters not to be cleansed, but to sanctify the waters themselves. From this moment on, baptism would no longer be just a sign of repentance, it would become a sacrament of new life.

By stepping into the Jordan, Jesus shows us a God who does not save from a distance but enters fully into the human condition.

At Jesus’ baptism, something extraordinary happens: The heavens open, The Spirit descends like a dove, The Father’s voice is heard. This is a clear revelation of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Father declares Jesus as His beloved Son, and the Spirit anoints Him for mission. This moment echoes today’s first reading from Isaiah: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased.” (Is 42:1). Jesus is the Servant-Messiah, sent not to dominate but to heal, to restore, and to bring justice gently and faithfully.

What happened to Jesus at the Jordan happens to us at the baptismal font, though often quietly, without thunder or a visible dove. Through baptism, we are freed from sin – We become children of God, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are incorporated into the Body of Christ, the Church.

St. Peter proclaims in the Acts of the Apostles: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.” (Acts 10:38). That same Spirit has been given to us. Baptism is not just a ritual from the past, it is the foundation of our Christian identity.

Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of His mission. Immediately after, He goes forth to proclaim the Kingdom, heal the sick, free the oppressed, and reveal the Father’s mercy. Our baptism does the same for us. It is not an endpoint; it is a sending forth. Isaiah reminds us of the mission entrusted to God’s servant:

“I have formed you and set you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.” (Is 42:6). Every baptized Christian shares in this mission. We are not baptized for ourselves alone, but for the world.

In a world wounded by injustice, division, violence, and indifference, we all are called to live out these essential duties: To live as beloved children of God, and to witness to Christ by our lives in our families, in our workplaces, in society, among the poor and the forgotten.

Today, as we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, the Father speaks again—not only over Jesus, but over each one of us: “You are my beloved child.” Let us renew our baptismal commitment: to reject sin, to believe in Christ, to live as children of light, and to bring God’s love into the world.

May the Holy Spirit, who descended upon Jesus at the Jordan, renew us today and send us forth to live our baptism with courage, humility, and joy. Amen

Your Priest,

Father Anthony Dim