“After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened, and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22).  

 

The major theme for this Baptism of the Lord focuses on Christ’s acceptance of his true vocation and destiny that He begins his public ministry and service to fulfill God’s will for the salvation of the world. This celebration to commemorate the “Baptism of the Lord” started in the Eastern Church (Orthodox) when people celebrated the Feast of the “Epiphany of the Lord,” which emerged in the 2^nd Century. 

 

As we have mentioned last Sunday, the word “Epiphany” comes from Greek, which means “appearance” or “manifestation” of the Lord. People in the East commemorate the “Epiphany of the Lord” with the “Baptism of the Lord” in which the Father and the Holy Spirit testify, identify, and reveal Jesus’ true identity as the only begotten Son of God. In the Western Church (Roman Catholics), people celebrate both feasts separately, first the “Epiphany of the Lord,” then the “Baptism of the Lord,” because people recognize both events contain different focus and importance in the Church. 

 

Today, we celebrate the “Baptism of the Lord,” which is the last day of the Christmas season with white liturgical colour. Tomorrow (Jan. 13) we start the ordinary time with green liturgical colour, until we arrive to Ash Wednesday with purple liturgical colour. Let us accompany our Lord as He accepts his vocational calling and starts his public ministry to fulfill the will of the Heavenly Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and that we should do the same, accepting our vocations to fulfill God’s will in our lives.

 

God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topics invite us to remember our baptism, accept our vocation to serve God and others, as Christ Jesus did, to fulfill God’s will in our lives.

 

How have we been living out our baptism, accepting our true identity, vocation and mission?         

 

Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.