THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD, JANUARY 11, 2026

The fresco of Baptism of Jesus in the church Dreifaltigkeitskirche by August Müller (1923).

MASS READINGS

Gospel Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?”

Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Then he allowed him.

After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold,

the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him.

And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

REFLECTION

"Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him."

I was recently having a conversation with a friend about how Jesus has total empathy for us. Just like us, He physically lived on this earth for a while. He laughed, played, cried... When I read this passage, the question that comes to mind is "Why did He get baptized?, "Did He need to?"

Pope Benedict XVI tells us:

The Holy One of God joined those who recognized they were in need of forgiveness and asked God for the gift of conversion, that is, the grace to return to him with their whole heart, to belong totally to him. Jesus chose to join the ranks of sinners, to be in solidarity with them, expressing God’s closeness. Jesus shows his solidarity with us, with our efforts to convert and to be rid of our selfishness, to break away from our sins in order to tell us that if we accept him in our life he can uplift us and lead us to the heights of God the Father. And Jesus’ solidarity is not, as it were, a mere exercise of mind and will. Jesus truly immersed himself in our human condition, lived it to the end, in all things save sin, and was able to understand our weakness and frailty.

It is amazing to think how the God that created the Universe humbles Himself in an act that belongs to us when we turn away from sin.

For us, Catholic Baptism includes a prayer of exorcism and a renunciation to Satan and all evil. It is truly to come from darkness into light:

Presider: Almighty and ever-living God,

you sent your only Son into the world

to cast out the power of Satan, spirit of evil,

to rescue man from the kingdom of darkness,

and bring him into the splendor of your kingdom of light.

We pray for this child:

set him (her) free from original sin,

make him (her) a temple of your glory,

and send your Holy Spirit to dwell with him (her).

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Thank you God for giving us this beautiful rite of initiation that allows the priest or deacon to remove original sin from our soul and be reborn in You. And thank You Jesus for your love and example for us.

I wonder, have you heard about other kinds of baptism? How about baptism of blood? or of desire? Have you met someone that has fallen in any of these categories?

Think about it, and share your experience if you can.

God bless y'all!

Sources:

https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2013/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20130113_battesimo.html

https://www.ibreviary.com/m2/preghiere.php?tipo=Rito&id=103