January 9, 2023, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Holy Rosary (Joyful Mysteries)

Friends of the Rosary:

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which we celebrate today, at the end of Christmas, commemorates Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist.

This is the second epiphany, or manifestation, of the Lord. The past, the present, and the future are made manifest in this epiphany.

At the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan, God appeared in three persons. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him, He was proclaimed the “Beloved Son” of the Father, and the heavens were opened.

The Son of God, who was absolutely sinless, freely humbled Himself at the hand of the Baptist. He took upon Himself the sins of the whole world and buried them in the waters of the Jordan.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes baptism as the “basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit … and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.”

With baptism, we receive the grace of becoming a Christian. And heaven is opened to us.

Ave Maria!
Jesus, I Trust In You!