CHRIST’S BAPTISM AND OUR OWN BAPTISM

 

Homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Bible Texts: Isaiah 42:1–4, 6–7; Titus 2:12-14; 3:4-7; Luke 3:15–16, 21–22

Today is the feast of the baptism of the Lord. The baptism of the Lord officially concludes the Christmas Season and ushers in the Ordinary Time. The baptism of the Lord was the official inauguration of the public ministry of Jesus. It was also a profound moment of epiphany or revelation of the identity of Jesus as the Son of God and of his mission as the Messiah.

The Gospel reading presents the scene of Jesus’ baptism by John in the river Jordan. Our catechism teaches us that baptism is the sacrament that washes away sins. However, Jesus’ baptism was not one of repentance, as he is sinless. Rather, it was a profound act of solidarity with humanity. Just as God had to become man in order to raise our fallen nature, so also did Christ had to go through baptism in order to identify with us, sinners. By entering the waters of the Jordan, Jesus sanctified creation and identified with sinners, prefiguring his future death and resurrection. 

After Jesus was baptized, St Luke tells us that the heavens opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and the voice of the Father declared, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). This moment revealed the Trinitarian nature of God: the Father spoke, the Son was baptized, and the Spirit descended. It affirmed Jesus’ divine identity and his mission as the Messiah. The same voice that spoke to Jesus at his baptism also speaks to us during our own baptism: “You are my beloved.” Let this truth shape your life, reminding you of your worth, identity, and purpose.

Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of a new creation, where the Spirit hovered over the waters in the same way as it hovered over the world at creation (Genesis 1:2). In baptism, we are made new, cleansed of sin, and incorporated into the Body of Christ. Just as Jesus at his baptism was proclaimed the beloved Son of the Father, through baptism, we too become beloved children of God, heirs to his Kingdom (Romans 8:15-17).

Just as the baptism of Jesus revealed his mission as the Messiah and signaled the beginning of his public ministry, our own baptism also anoints us for our own mission. As baptized Christians, we are called to be light to the nations, to live out our faith in service and love, and to witness to the Gospel in a world longing for hope and justice. Baptism is not just a ritual but a commissioning - a call to live as beloved sons and daughters of God. Baptism commissions us to be active participants in God’s work, and like Jesus, we are anointed with the same Spirit and called to go about doing good, witnessing to Christ in our daily lives (Acts 10:38).

Lastly, as we celebrate today’s feast, we all are invited to recall, renew, and relive our own baptism. Our baptism was the day when we were claimed for Christ and began our journey of faith. Let us live each day in the grace of that identity and live out our baptismal calling with renewed fervor. May we, like Jesus, be faithful to our mission, empowered by the Spirit, and confident in the love of the Father. Amen.