Today the Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord. In our Christian tradition, Jesus’ baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry and is one of three “epiphanies” of Jesus: the first we celebrated last week with the visit of the magi; the baptism is the second epiphany when the voice from heaven identifies Jesus as “beloved Son;” and Jesus’ first miracle changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana which we will hear proclaimed next Sunday is the third.

All three events in one way or another manifest Jesus as the Son of God. In today’s account of the baptism, Luke intentionally highlights the Holy Spirit coming down on Jesus in a bodily form. This Holy Spirit will direct Christ’s ministry and mission throughout Luke’s gospel until, from the cross, Jesus “commends” his spirit back to the Father. In Acts, the continuation of Luke’s Gospel, it is that same Spirit that returned to the Father upon Jesus’ death, Who will come rushing upon the apostles at Pentecost, to guide and direct the growth of the Christian Church.

When we were baptized, it too was a public beginning. Being brought to church by our families, our life in Christ was begun. Plunged into the waters of baptism, we died with Christ so that we might also live with him (cf. Rom 6:3-4). We were given new life – unending life – in these powerful waters. Our participation in Original Sin was washed clean and we were given a new beginning of innocence.

As St. Paul indicates in his letter to Titus, we were “saved through the bath of rebirth” not because of anything we had accomplished or done, but because of God’s merciful gift. Paul goes on to note that the Holy Spirit was “richly poured out on us” so that we might become heirs to the hope of eternal life.

Wow!!!!

This is why baptism is such an important Sacrament in our faith tradition. As members of the Church and the family of God, we now live as adopted sons and daughters of God. As the “gateway” sacrament, no other sacraments can be validly received until we have been baptized.

Yet how many of us are aware of where and when we were baptized? We certainly keep and celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and appropriately so. But what about our baptism anniversary? Given all that it means in terms of our eternal life and status as children of God, wouldn’t it be appropriate for us to at least know, if not celebrate, our baptism day?

Perhaps in this next week or two, we can do a little research to find out our own baptism date and place if we don’t already know that. If we are parents, we can help our children to know and appreciate their baptismal anniversary. As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, let’s recall how important our own baptism is, and celebrate the new and eternal life we share in Christ Jesus!