Bible Diary

Daily Reading

The Baptism of the Lord

LECTIONARY
21

FIRST READING

IS 42:1-4, 6-7

Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

PSALM

PS 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

Response: The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, "Glory!"
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.

GOSPEL

MT 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
"I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?"
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness."
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
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.

Daily Reflection

Jesus is baptised not because He is a sinner, but rather to usher in the start of a new creation. As the Spirit hovered over the waters at Creation, so now the Spirit descends on Jesus like a dove as He comes out of the waters of the Jordan.

His mission, prophesied in Isaiah is one that will bring justice to the nations. He embodies the role for which God had chosen Israel thus becoming the “Covenant of the people” and a “light to the nations”. In Him “whoever fears God and acts uprightly is acceptable” to God. The seeming ‘special status’ of Israel as the ‘Chosen People’ is now extended to the whole of humanity in Christ. This aspect is reflected in today’s Psalm which calls us as “sons of God” to “give glory to God”.

Our baptism in Christ is, then, a reminder of our calling to be faithful, so that in us the Father may be “well pleased”.