Jesuit priest Fr. Eugene Lobo S.J. writes of today’s Feast:
The Baptism of Christ as recorded in all the four Gospels indicates the Trinitarian Revelation and the commencement of the public ministry of Jesus. John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus and the person chosen by God to proclaim His coming, was preaching in the wilderness and was baptizing all those who would respond to his message of repentance. At the same time, John was directing the people toward the one who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus came from Galilee to John at the River Jordan to be baptized by him. Initially, John refused to baptize him saying that it is Jesus who should baptize him. Jesus insists that it is John who has to perform the task and it is proper for them in this way to fulfill all righteousness and John consents. When Jesus comes out of water after his Baptism, the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him in the form of a dove. There is also the voice of the Father that comes from the cloud, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” In the first reading the prophet describes the character of God’s servant. His kind ways will bring justice and peace to the world. In the second reading Peter tells in the house of Cornelius of the universality of the divine call and that God has no partiality towards any one. He anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and he went about doing his healing.
Read Fr. Lobo’s entire meditation on the lessons for today here.