Daily Catholic Lectio. Sun, 12 January ’25. A voice was heard!

Daily Catholic Lectio

Sun, 12 Jan ‘25

Baptism of the Lord, Feast

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11. Titus 2:11-24, 3:4-7. Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

A voice was heard!

On the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we are drawn to the profound moment when “a voice was heard” at the Jordan River. This event, recorded in the Gospels, reveals the identity, mission, and relationship of Jesus with the Father and sets a foundation for our own baptismal journey. As we reflect on this important moment in Jesus’ life, let us meditate on the threefold significance of His baptism and its lessons for our lives.

1. God’s experience: A foundational transformation

In Jesus’ baptism, we see a transformative God-experience. Like Moses encountering the burning bush, Isaiah’s vision of the throne of God, and Paul’s Damascus conversion, this was Jesus’ foundational experience.

As Jesus rose from the waters of the Jordan, the heavens were torn open, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. This was not just a ritual; it was the divine confirmation of His identity as the Son of God. From this moment, His mission was irrevocably shaped.

For Jesus, the baptism was a profound encounter with the Father, affirming His belovedness: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). This encounter gave Him clarity and strength to embrace His vocation fully.

What about us? Though baptized as infants, our baptism invites us to continually seek such transformative moments in our lives—moments of surrender, renewal, and intimacy with God that change us profoundly.

2. God’s revelation: the beloved Son

Jesus’ baptism is also a moment of revelation. Throughout His early life, God revealed His plan step by step: To the shepherds through angels, to the Magi through a star, to Simeon and Anna in the Temple.

At the Jordan, the revelation became public: Jesus is the Beloved Son of God. This declaration confirmed His divine identity and His oneness with the Father and the Spirit.

Why was Jesus baptized? He, who was without sin, chose to align Himself with sinful humanity. By stepping into the waters of the Jordan, He affirmed His solidarity with us and inaugurated a new way of being united with God. His baptism prefigured His ultimate mission of taking on our sin at the Cross.

Each of us, through baptism, is also revealed as a beloved child of God. Do we live in this awareness, embracing our divine identity? Baptism is not a past event but a living reality shaping our journey in Christ.

3. God’s mission: “Who am I? For whom am I?”

The baptism marked the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. It answered His deepest questions: “Who am I?”—the Beloved Son of the Father. “For whom am I?”—for the salvation of all humanity.

From the Jordan, Jesus moved with a sense of purpose: proclaiming the Good News, healing the broken, and liberating the oppressed. His baptism was the starting point for a mission that would culminate in His death and resurrection.

What about us? Baptism gives us our mission. It calls us to discern daily: Who am I in Christ? For whom is my life meant to serve? Our baptism is not just an initiation but a commissioning to be active disciples in God’s vineyard.

Lessons for our lives:

(a) God’s voice: When and how do we hear it? At the Jordan, three voices echoed: The people’s voice, seeking hope and renewal. John’s voice, proclaiming repentance and preparing the way. The Father’s voice, affirming Jesus’ identity and mission. Even today, God speaks through Scripture, prayer, and the Church. Are we attuned to His voice amidst the noise of the world?

(b) Prayer: the foundation of connectedness: Luke emphasizes that Jesus was praying when the heavens opened. His baptism highlights prayer as a way of living in communion with the Father. This is the first recorded instance of Jesus praying, setting the tone for His ministry.

For Jesus, prayer was not about piling up petitions but about being rooted in the Father’s love. Our prayer life must echo this: a realisation of our connectedness with God and an openness to His Spirit.

(c) Trust in God: clinging to God. Jesus’ baptism is a lesson in trust. He entrusted Himself fully to the Father’s will. In our baptismal life, we are called to a similar trust, even amidst trials and uncertainties.

Godliness is the rootedness that sustains us. Just as Jesus emerged from the waters strengthened, we too must draw strength from our baptismal promises, clinging to God in faith and love.

The baptism of the Lord invites us to renew our understanding of our own baptism. It challenges us to seek transformative experiences of God, to embrace our identity as beloved children, and to live out our mission with clarity and trust.

Let us, like Jesus, listen for God’s voice, commit to a life of prayer, and place our trust entirely in Him. As we do so, may we hear the Father’s words echo in our hearts: “You are my beloved child; with you I am well pleased.”

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy