With this Feast, the Baptism of Our Lord, Christmas ends, though it continues in spirit as a liturgical cycle until Candlemas (the third Sunday of Epiphany) when we recall Mary’s post-birth Purification and Our Lord’s Presentation in the Temple. On this day, the octave of Epiphany (celebrated two days ago) continues. We now focus on the epiphany of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptizer in the Jordan River. He whose birth we just celebrated and who has been unveiled to the gentiles (represented by the Magi) now shows us how to be born again or “born from above.” In doing so, Christ confers on us, through union with Him, all He accomplished on our behalf, even the full meaning and significance of John’s baptism. Through baptism we experience the epiphany; what the author to the Hebrews calls an “enlightening.” The marveling at the theophany continues in pondering the meaning of His baptism, a meaning which can be made even more apparent by using the traditional liturgical settings; in the Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Preface, and Communion prayers of the Divine Service setting, all of which allude to the Magi and their recognition of Jesus as King and God. If you use them in your location, allow the service to augment and fortify the sermonic proclamation. Our Romans text connects well with the appointed Gospel. “And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to Him: and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming upon Him. And behold a voice from Heaven, saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17). This revelation of His glory was predicted in Isaiah 40:3-5. Having considered the significance of the day, this should only heighten the drama and impact of the epistle lesson from Romans 6:1-11, which is arguably the greatest of the baptism texts within the epistolary.
Click for Full Text!
