Because of what we might call “calendar oddities” this year, today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. It is usually celebrated on the Sunday after the Epiphany of the Lord.
What we celebrate on this Feast is what has happened to us all at our Baptism. It is nothing less and nothing more than hearing a voice that says, “You are mine.” From that moment on, we began to live that way, to trust in the promise of those words, just as Jesus trusted in their promise.
At the time that we were brought to the waters of Baptism, we too were claimed by God with the sign of the Cross traced on our foreheads. Like a “brand” that marks livestock for its owner, we have been claimed by God and we now belong to Him.
Ideally, our Baptism helped us cross over to new life and the heavens were opened for us – so that we might always hear and heed the Word of God. After all, we are not called to simply believe in and worship Jesus Christ. We are called to believe in ourselves because of Him … and to believe that all of us have been given a share in the same intimate relationship that Jesus experienced with our Father. Let us be grateful for such a gift!
