Today
the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Baptism of Our Lord bringing to an
end the season of Christmas. The Church recalls Our Lord's second manifestation
or Epiphany, which occurred on the occasion of His baptism in the Jordan. Jesus
descended into the river to sanctify its waters and to give them the power to
beget children of God. The event takes on the importance of a second creation
in which the entire Trinity intervenes.
In
the Eastern Church, this feast is called Theophany because at the baptism of
Christ in the River Jordan, God appeared in three persons. The baptism of John
was a sort of preparation for the Baptism of Christ. It moved men to sentiments
of repentance and induced them to confess their sins. Christ did not need the
baptism of John. Although, He appeared in the "substance of our
flesh" and was recognized "outwardly like unto ourselves", He
was absolutely sinless and impeccable. He conferred upon the water the power of
the true Baptism which would remove all the sins of the world: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Who
takes away the sins of the world".
Many of the incidents which accompanied
Christ's baptism are symbolical of what happens at our Baptism. At Christ's
baptism the Holy Spirit descended upon Him; at our Baptism, the Trinity takes its
abode in our soul. At His baptism, Christ was proclaimed the "Beloved
Son" of the Father; at our Baptism, we become the adopted sons and
daughters of God. At Christ's baptism the heavens were opened; at our Baptism
heaven was opened to us. gExcerpted from Msgr. Rudolph
G. Bandas
