Merry Christmas on the last day of the Christmas season. For more than two weeks, we have celebrated Jesus as an infant. I have a small friend; maybe she is four years old. She comes to church with her grandmother. Especially at the Christmas season, her grandma was excited to bring her to show baby Jesus. But the more grandma talks about Baby Jesus; the little girl wanted to see big Jesus. So I asked the grandmother what the little girl was asking. The grandmother said the little girl likes the big Jesus on the cross. So today once again, we begin celebrating Jesus as an adult. Therefore, appropriately, we start with Jesus’ first public appearance as an adult, his baptism by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. We celebrated the Epiphany of Jesus last Sunday. When we think of the Epiphany, we think of the wise men visiting the baby Jesus in Bethlehem; but “Epiphany” means “manifestation,” so when we celebrated the Epiphany of Jesus, we celebrated Jesus being revealed and shown to the world.
1. At the Epiphany last weekend, we especially remembered Jesus revealed as the light of all nations since the wise men (who were Gentiles and not Jews) came from far away.
2. Today we celebrate another epiphany of Jesus, which occurred at his baptism when his heavenly Father spoke and said, “This is My Beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17)
3. After Jesus’ baptism, the next epiphany or revelation of Jesus takes place at the wedding at Cana, where St. John the Evangelist tells us Jesus’ miracle let his glory be seen and his disciples believed in him (John 2:11).
So what we celebrate today, the baptism of our Lord is another epiphany. The baptism of John was the new big thing happening at that time. John the Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan all those who came to him. Baptism was new and big because before now, the only people who usually were baptized were Gentiles converting to become Jews. The baptism of Gentiles showed they were leaving behind their old Gentile way of life to live their new life as Jews. Their baptism meant a clear break with their past life to begin their new life as Jews. Previously only Gentiles becoming Jews were baptized but now the Jews themselves are being baptized by John. Even though they did not fully understand, they were preparing for the coming of Jesus by being baptized in the Jordan. What was happening was extraordinary. It means Judaism is about to be overtaken by something new, Christianity. Christ will fulfill the expectations of Judaism; Christ will be the center of peoples’ lives, not the temple in Jerusalem. By the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus, the Lord is calling us to end Christmas by going back to Baptism, the beginning of our Christian life.
Today is an ideal time to renew our baptismal promises by rejecting Satan, all his works, and all his promises and by believing ever more deeply in the Triune God. When we end Christmas in Trinitarian, baptismal faith, we know in a life-changing way we are beloved sons and daughters of God our Father, with whom He is well pleased. This affirmation of perfect, infinite, unconditional, eternal fatherly love fills us "with the Holy Spirit and power." Loved by the Father and filled with the Spirit, we imitate Jesus and go "about doing good works and healing all who were in the grip of the devil." In this way, we establish "the victory of justice" on the earth "to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness." This way, the culture of death may well give way to a civilization of love and life. The renewal of your baptismal promises today has a lot to say about the future of the world. On this last day of Christmas, renew your Baptism. Let us pray, "Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and with the fire of your love and goodness. May I always find joy and delight in seeking to please you in doing your will just as you have delighted in the joy of pleasing your Father and doing his will."