Gospel: Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
At that time, as the people were in expectation and all were wondering if perhaps John the Baptist was the Messiah, John clarified for them, saying: “I baptize with water, but one mightier than I is coming, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” It happened that among those who were being baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in a visible form, like a dove, and a voice from heaven said: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Fruit: Thank God for my baptism and pray for all those who have not yet received this grace.

Guidelines for reflection:
This passage features two characters: John the Baptist and Jesus. And one important action: baptism. Baptism opens the doors to heaven. It is where the Father manifests His pleasure and delight. We can see in the example of Christ that in every baptism the Father rejoices and conveys a very clear message: you are my beloved Son.

1. One mightier than I is coming
John is humble because he recognizes himself as the one who precedes the Messiah. He does not take advantage of the “novelty.” He is the novelty of the moment. Many people come to him to be baptized. But John recognizes that after him comes another, more powerful, that is, Jesus. It takes great humility not to believe oneself to be more than what one truly is. Sometimes we may think we are better than others, but in the eyes of God, we are only what we truly are, and nothing more.

I do not deserve to untie His sandals
Here, John takes a further step. His humility is genuine. Without a doubt, it was humanly difficult, as it is for us not to seek to be the protagonists in our lives. We want people to notice us, applaud us, love us. If something turns out well, it’s surely because I did it. If something goes wrong, it’s probably the neighbor’s fault… John shows us that he prepared himself very well during his years in the desert. This human and spiritual asceticism helped him overcome vanity and selfishness. In this way, he was able to recognize his place and fulfill his mission.

3. Jesus was baptized
John was baptizing people, and among them was Jesus, who was also just one among the people. He did not make an announcement like “Hey, people, I am going to be baptized,” nor a “Join my baptism.” Today, Christ teaches us that baptism is a sacrament to be lived in humility. Perhaps the child being baptized today does not wonder how they arrive at the sacrament, but their parents do. Parents and godparents should ask themselves whether they are baptizing the child more for the sacrament itself or for the celebration. Are we aware of the greatness of this sacrament?

Purpose: Read the catechism numbers (nn. 1213-1284) related to baptism and meditate on them.