The Gospel of Matthew 3:1317 Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
Let us Pray the Collect for the Baptism of our Lord. Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
The service of Holy Baptism is definitely a sacred service. You know that the presence of the Holy Spirit is with us when a young child was marked as Christ’s own forever. We can visualize the presence of the Holy Spirit as John baptized Jesus and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We know God is pleased when the young child who is baptized has a smile that tells it all. Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism is brief, but it is one of the most theologically intense moments in the entire Gospel. It is the bridge between Jesus’ hidden life and His public ministry, between anticipation and revelation, between the old creation and the new. In the mind of John the Baptist in today’s reading. He was right, technically, Jesus did not need baptism for the forgiveness of sins, but this was about doing right, not being right. Jesus calms John’s objection, saying, “It’s OK, just go with it for the moment. I want to lead by example.” And so, Jesus, as well as telling the people to repent and believe, shows them how it’s done. He forgoes the honor of being right and helps others by doing right. The Spirit’s descent is not merely symbolic; it is vocational. It sets the tone of the ministry of Jesus. Jesus is anointed not for comfort but for mission: to heal, to liberate, to proclaim good news to the poor, to confront injustice, and to embody God’s mercy. As the Dove descends and departs the Holy Spirit on Jesus, it signals gentleness, peace, and the nonviolent character of God’s kingdom. Jesus’ ministry will not be marked by coercion but by compassion.
Let us Pray: Holy God, You opened the heavens over Your beloved Son and revealed Your heart of mercy to the world. Immerse us again in the waters of Your grace. Wash away our fear, our pride, our self-reliance. Let Your Spirit descend upon us with the gentleness of a dove and the power to heal, reconcile, and restore. Speak Your word of belovedness into our hearts so that we may live from Your delight and carry Your compassion into the world. Make us witnesses of Your new creation, children who walk in humility, justice, and peace. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 