Monday, January 8, 2024
Baptism of di Lord—Feast
Sunday wey follow January 6 (Or Monday if dem celebrate Epiphany on Sunday, January 7 or 8)
Listen for English
For dat time, Jesus come from Nazareth for Galilee, and John baptize Am for River Jordan. As E dey come out of di water, E see heaven dey tear open and di Spirit dey come down on Am like dove. And one voice come from heaven, “You na My Son wey I love; I dey well pleased with You.” Mark 1:9–11
Di Feast of di Baptism of di Lord dey end di Christmas Season for us and lead us enter di beginning of Ordinary Time. If we look am from wetin Scripture teach, this event for Jesus life na also di turning point from di life wey E live away from public for Nazareth to di beginning of Im ministry for public. As we dey remember and celebrate this glorious event, e dey important to think deep about one simple question: Why Jesus receive baptism? Remember say John baptism na baptism of repentance, one act wey E use invite Im followers to turn away from sin and turn to God. But Jesus no get sin, so wetin make E receive Baptism?
First of all, for di passage wey we quote above, we see say Jesus humble act of baptism show clearly who E really be. Di voice of di Baba for Heaven talk say, “Na You be my Son wey I love; You dey please me well.” We also hear say di Spirit come down upon Am in di form of dove. So, one part of wetin Jesus baptism mean na to announce for public who E be. Na Im be di Son of God, one divine Person wey be one with di Baba and di Holy Spirit. This public testimony na “epiphany,” wey mean say e dey show who E really be for everybody to see as E dey prepare to start Im ministry for public.
Second, Im baptism show di great humility wey Jesus get. Na Im be di Second Person of di Trinity Wey Holy Pass, but E allow make dem count Am among sinners. As Jesus take part for one act wey focus on repentance, Im action of baptism talk plenty. E come to join Himself with us sinners, to enter our sin and enter our death. As E enter di water, E dey use sign enter death itself, wey be di result of our sin, and E rise in victory, so we too fit rise with Am enter new life. For this reason, we fit talk say Jesus baptism na one way wey E take “baptize” di waters, so that from that time go, water itself go carry Im divine presence, and this presence go fit reach everybody wey receive baptism after Am. So now, human beings wey get sin fit meet di divine through baptism.
Finally, when we share for this new baptism through water wey our divine Lord don make holy, Jesus baptism dey show us who we become in Am. Just as di Baba talk and declare say Jesus na Im Son, and just as di Holy Spirit come down upon Am, na so too for our baptism, we become children wey di Baba adopt, and di Holy Spirit fill us. So, Jesus baptism make am clear who we become for Christian baptism.
Lord, I thank You as You humble Yourself receive baptism, and through am You open Heaven for everybody wey be sinner. Make I open my heart every single day to di grace of my own baptism wey person no fit understand finish. Make I dey live with You more and more with my whole life as pikin of di Father, full of di Holy Spirit. Jesus, na You I trust.
Read More:
Baptism of di Lord
Book wey we dey feature:
Wik 1–17 for Ordinary Time
Ordinary Time dey start January 9
More Reflections on the Gospel
Deep Thoughts about Divine Mercy
Main picha wey dey above: Baptism of Christ wey Pietro Perugino paint, through Wikimedia Commons
