The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

1/11/2026 (Sunday) Today’s Gospel reading: Matthew 3:13-17

13 Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
14 John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?”
15 Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
16 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.
17 And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

1/11/2026 (Sunday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Matthew 3:13-17

The Gospel reading above presents a quiet yet powerful moment at the beginning of Jesus’ public life. It is a scene filled with humility, obedience, and affirmation. Jesus steps into the river not because He needs cleansing, but because He chooses solidarity. He stands where ordinary people stand. He enters the water where sinners, seekers, and the broken line up. This moment reminds us that God often begins great things in very ordinary places.

What is striking is Jesus’ decision to be baptized. He has nothing to prove and nothing to repent of, yet He submits Himself to a ritual meant for transformation. In doing so, He shows us that obedience is not always about personal need; sometimes it is about faithfulness. In our world today, many people ask, “What’s in it for me?” Jesus shows another way. He teaches that doing what is right matters even when no immediate reward is visible.

John hesitates, feeling unworthy. This reaction feels familiar. How often do we feel inadequate when God asks something of us? We question our readiness. We doubt our worth. We think God must have chosen the wrong person. Yet God often works through people who feel unqualified. The encounter between Jesus and John reminds us that God’s plans are not blocked by human insecurity. What matters is willingness.

When Jesus rises from the water, something extraordinary happens. Heaven seems to open. The Spirit descends gently, not in chaos or force, but in peace. And then comes the voice of affirmation. Before Jesus teaches, heals, or performs miracles, He is affirmed. He is named as beloved. This order is important. Identity comes before activity. Love comes before achievement.

Many people today live the other way around. We strive first. We exhaust ourselves proving our worth. We wait for affirmation that may never come. This passage reminds us that God’s voice speaks love before performance. You are not valuable because of what you do. You do meaningful things because you are already valued.

The baptism of Jesus also reminds us that spiritual moments do not remove us from reality; they prepare us for it. After this moment, Jesus will face temptation, rejection, and suffering. But He enters those challenges grounded in identity and guided by the Spirit. Faith does not exempt us from hardship. It equips us to face it.

In a world full of noise, this scene teaches us the power of quiet obedience. No applause. No spotlight. Just faithfulness. Sometimes the most important decisions we make happen away from public view. This include choosing honesty, choosing forgiveness, choosing to do the right thing when it costs us something. These moments shape us more than any public success.

The Gospel passage also invites us to reflect on our own beginnings. Maybe you are standing at the edge of something new. A decision. A calling. A change you are afraid to make. Like Jesus at the river, you may feel the weight of what lies ahead. This passage reassures us that when we step forward in trust, we do not step alone. God meets us there.

Finally, this story reminds us that God delights in His children. Not because they are perfect, but because they belong to Him. In a world that constantly measures worth by likes, titles, and achievements, this is a radical message. You are loved. You are seen. You are enough.

And from that truth, everything else flows.

Go here to read further Gospel reflection.