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Baptism of the Lord
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January 12, 2019February 14, August 17, and November 12 are all days of note in our home. They did not used to be days that were celebrated, but we’ve tried to change that. These are the days that mark the anniversaries my wife’s, our daughter’s, and my Baptisms. April 20, this Easter Vigil, will also mark a special day for us as our new son joins our community in Baptism. I know I’ll cry on April 20 just as I did on August 17 for our daughter. But to be honest, I cry every time I see any Baptism, especially when the Baptism is part of Mass.
I probably won’t cry at Mass on January 13th, but as I learn more about this most holy day I believe I should be brought to tears. Yes, I knew that the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the end of Christmas for Catholics, even though the secular world tossed Christmas to the curb on the 26th of December. But until recently I did not know that this feast is the second oldest feast day in the Church, second only to Easter. So the early Church Fathers clearly knew this as a significant day. But why?
First, it was at the Baptism of Jesus that God revealed himself to the world as the Triune God. God the Son is baptized, God the Holy Spirit descends on him in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father gives testimony about his beloved Son. Second, when Jesus comes out of the waters of Baptism, “heaven was opened.” Yes, heaven was opened for us because our path is to be baptized and to react to our Baptism by turning toward Christ and struggling daily to be holy. Third, in his Baptism, Jesus changed the nature of water. This is why we Catholics bless water and use it for many things. And fourth, with his Baptism Christ begins his mission to redeem us. It is after his Baptism that Jesus is tempted by the devil and then starts his public ministry.
As Christmas comes to an end, let us celebrate not only Jesus’s Baptism but also our own and those of our family. Today, sing Christmas carols one last time, bless yourself and family with Holy Water, and ask yourself if you are living the full life of a baptized Christian. Through Baptism heaven is open for us. Let us with new vigor do what is necessary to get ourselves and our families through the opening and into heaven.
Matt McKillip is the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of Administration for the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. Matt and his wife Heather attend St. Patrick Parish in Kokomo with their daughter Sara and son Taylor.
