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. Matthew 3:13–15
John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets, entrusted with the mission to immediately prepare the way for the Messiah. Today’s feast marks a pivotal transition from the Old Law to the New. Prior to Jesus’ baptism, John’s mission was in full motion. With Jesus’ baptism, the mission of the Old Testament prophets is fulfilled, and the New Law of grace begins.
Why did Jesus enter the waters of baptism? He was sinless and had no need of repentance. Yet, in His divine wisdom, Jesus chose to be baptized to sanctify the waters, opening the gateway of grace for all who would follow. By entering the waters of baptism, Jesus set a precedent. Every Christian who enters the waters of baptism meets our Lord there, sharing in His life of grace.
As we reflect on Christ’s baptism today, we are invited to consider our own. Most of us were baptized as infants and have no memory of the event. Others came to baptism later in life, fully aware of the grace they were receiving. Regardless of when it occurred, baptism’s effects are profound and enduring. That singular moment of sanctification forever changed us, and its transformative power remains active within us.
Through baptism, Jesus meets us under the waters. When baptism is performed by full immersion, it powerfully symbolizes the reality of this encounter. We enter the waters of repentance, as John offered, but we emerge united with Christ. Just as the Father’s voice declared at Jesus’ baptism, “You are my beloved Son…,” so too does the Father continually speak to us after our baptism, affirming our identity as His beloved children. The Holy Spirit descends upon us, and we are offered every gift of the Spirit, provided our hearts remain open.
Baptism occurs only once in our lives and imprints on our souls an “indelible spiritual mark (character)” (see Catechism of the Catholic Church #1272 and 1274). This mark configures us to Christ and signifies our permanent belonging to Him and His Church. It cannot be lost or removed, even by mortal sin. However, while this character endures forever, the state of sanctifying grace within our souls can be lost through mortal sin. In such cases, the grace of baptism is restored through the Sacrament of Reconciliation in which our souls are once again cleansed and brought back into full communion with God. Marked as members of Christ’s Body, we are continually disposed to receive sanctifying grace through the other sacraments, as long as we remain in a state of grace. Baptism accomplishes this disposition, enabling us to participate fully in the life of grace that flows from Christ.
As we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, reflect today on your own baptism. You are forever marked as a child of God. You encountered our Lord under the waters of baptism, were cleansed of all sin, and were filled with sanctifying grace. Though sin diminishes or even extinguishes that grace when it is mortal, the Sacrament of Reconciliation restores it, and the Eucharist and other sacraments increase it. Always return to your baptismal grace, seeking to live out your identity as God’s son or daughter, as this sacred mark intends.
My sanctifying Lord, through the waters of baptism, I encountered You and received the abundant grace You bestowed upon me. Please help me to keep my soul free from sin and to live with the true dignity of a child of God. Thank You for meeting me under those waters. May I remain with You, growing ever closer to You by the ongoing gift of all the Sacraments. Jesus, I trust in You.
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