Fr. Chuck's Column, January 7, 2018

This week, we have the Feast of Epiphany on Sunday, and then the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Monday, the next day. Usually, the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on a Sunday, not Monday. Liturgically, it feels pretty cramped.

Why such a rush? Well, Easter comes early (April 1) and so Ash Wednesday comes early (Feb 14, a.k.a. Valentine’s Day!). We have barely gotten through Christmas and now Lent is rushing at us! Oh my!

Since the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is kind of shunted aside this year (if may be so bold to say so), being relegated from a Sunday to a mere weekday, I would like to take a look at this Feast, which is important.

The Greek root of the word “epiphany” means a revelation of the divine. While in the West, we think of the visit of the Magi as the Epiphany, in the Greek Church they observe a series of epiphanies, or revelations of Jesus’ divine nature. One is the visit of the Magi, and the second is His Baptism when the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus and the voice from heaven declares: "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." And a third epiphany is celebrated at Jesus’ first miracle, the changing of water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana. All of these reveal the true nature of Jesus. So having the Feast of the Baptism the day following the Feast of Epiphany does make some liturgical sense.

More importantly, all Christians share the experience of Baptism with Jesus. No matter in what language, or where, or how it took place, in a very real but spiritual way, at the core of the experience is the same thing. At every Baptism God declares, “this is my beloved child.” We are incorporated into Jesus by this experience of Baptism.

Like all Sacraments, this is not something that we accomplish, rather it is totally God’s work. In Baptism, as in all Sacraments, God does all the heavy lifting. We need to approach the Sacraments in openness and faith.

So, while we will not celebrate the Baptism of the Lord on a weekend this year, do not let that fool you that the Feast is not important or is being downgraded. Rejoice in the wonderful gift of adoption as God’s child that you received at your baptism, and remember that the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, regardless of what day it is celebrated on, is important.