Have you ever felt alone, lonely, or as if there is no one left to help you? There are moments in life when it feels like we are walking on our own, carrying silent burdens, longing for someone to be our crying shoulder. These feelings are real, and they touch the deepest parts of our human experience.
My dear brothers and sisters, it is precisely in these moments that today’s celebration speaks to us. Today, we celebrate the last day of the Christmas season, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, we encounter Jesus who comes from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized. This scene invites us to pause and reflect, for it raises an important question: Why did Jesus allow Himself to be baptized? Baptism is meant to cleanse us from original sin, yet Jesus is sinless. Why, then, did He ask John the Baptist to baptize Him? Let me give you 3W’s that we can take from this celebration:
- We are not alone – The word baptism comes from the Greek baptízein (βαπτίζειν), which means “to dip,” “to plunge,” or “to immerse.” Jesus allowed Himself to be plunged into the waters of the Jordan not because He needed cleansing, but because He wanted to be fully immersed in our human experience. He chose to be with us in our suffering, challenges, difficulties, and even in our joys.
Water is a powerful image of this closeness. When we touch water, we do not simply wear it like a piece of clothing; it touches our skin and makes us feel its temperature. In the same way, Jesus does not remain distant from our lives. He enters into them deeply, allowing Himself to feel what we feel. In His baptism, Jesus reminds us that when we feel alone, He is already there—immersed with us, walking beside us, and never leaving us on our own.
- We have a loving Father. -- Just recently, last January 9, 2026, the whole Philippine Church celebrated the feast of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno. During the Traslación in Quiapo, aside from the hymns in honor of the Nazareno, we hear the people repeatedly chanting and praying the Ama Namin (Our Father). This is a beautiful reminder for us as we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. Jesus did not ask John to baptize Him because He wanted to be cleansed from sin; rather, His baptism reveals and confirms His identity as the Messiah. As Jesus comes out of the water, we hear the voice of the Father saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
In this moment, God reveals not only who Jesus is, but also who we are. Through the sacrament of Baptism, we become adopted sons and daughters of God. He claims us as His own children and allows us to call Him Father. When we feel lost, abandoned, or forgotten, the Baptism of the Lord reminds us that we belong to a loving Father who knows us by name, delights in us, and never abandons His children.
- Worry less, Trust more – A philosopher once said, “What worries you, masters you.” If this is true, then we are invited today to choose wisely whom we allow to be our master. Let us choose to trust in God rather than be ruled by worry. If God, through the essence of the sacrament of baptism, is truly our Father and our Master, then why should we be consumed by things we cannot control? Trust grows when we remember that we belong to Him, that we are loved, and that our lives are safely held in His hands.
As we conclude the Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord, may we carry these truths with us: we are not alone, we have a loving Father, and we are called to worry less and trust more. And let me give you last wishes and prayers that we may have planted in our hearts the essence of Christmas, Jesus is born for us. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
