Merry Christmas, at least for one more day.
Today, January 11, 2026, marks the final day of the Christmas Season as we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before we go diving into Ordinary Time, let’s unpack the meaning behind this important and often overlooked day.
What is Christ’s Baptism?
Jesus began public ministry by allowing John the Baptist to baptize him in the Jordan. One would think Jesus, being the Son of God, didn’t need this. In fact, John protested (Matthew 3:14). Once Jesus had been baptized by John, “the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’” (v. 16-17).
This is the story which starts Jesus’s public ministry. This marked his divinity and his role as servant, prophet, and king.
The Greatest Among Us is Servant of All
Jesus tells us, “The greatest among you must be your servant” (Matthew 23:11).
This means we’re not to brag, boast, or exalt ourselves. We’re to be humble, like he is humble. We’re to serve those in need, those around us, as he served all those around him.
Jesus’s servitude was to heal the sick, minister to the poor in spirit, and feed his lambs (his apostles) with theological and spiritual nourishment they needed to grow his Church. He even washed their feet (John 13). And then, as his greatest act of servitude, he died on the Cross for us all.
A Prophet Among the Nations
Jeremiah 1:5 tells us, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”
Yes, the Father knows each of us and our paths before we’re born, but the prophesies about Jesus are far more numerous. Jesus began the Proclamation of the Kingdom (Mar 1:15). His disciples and others asked for signs. He gave prophesies, warnings, and taught his closest friends, his apostles the meaning behind some. He was preparing his Church for the days to come.
The King of Kings
Many times Jesus is call the King of kings. In Revelation 19:16, “He has a name written on his cloak and on his thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” In 1 Timothy 6:15, “that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords…” And in Daniel 2:37, “You, O king, are the king of kings; to you the God of heaven has given dominion and strength, power and glory.”
Jesus is placed above all kings of the world. His rule and judgement will trump all others. He is divine though he became human, he is king though he came to serve. He is Lord of all, though he gave up his life to die on a cross so that we might have eternal life with him.
This is a King I will follow.
Taking Up Our Baptismal Vows
Jesus tells us, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (John 3:5).
This is our Baptism (for many of us during infancy) and our Confirmation. In both Sacraments, we take (or our adults take) vows to follow Christ through the Church. We promise to reject the enemy and believe in the gospel, living it out through our lives.
How we can follow Christ unless by imitating him? He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
Let us take up our crosses and follow him, being the servants he asks us to be, proclaiming the gospel in our lives, and following the King of kings all year long, and all our days forward.