The daily Word of God

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”

Dear brothers and sisters, peace and all good.

Our Christmas season is coming to a close. We have journeyed together through Advent, contemplated the Birth of Christ, celebrated the Epiphany, and today, we find ourselves at the Baptism of the Lord. In this year, 2026, we are meditating on this mystery through the Gospel of Saint Matthew.

The Suffering Servant Before we reach the Gospel, the first reading introduces us to the figure of the “Servant of the Lord.” We don’t know exactly who this character was originally meant to be. Experts debate whether Isaiah was talking about a specific person, a symbolic figure, or if he represented the entire people of Israel. Be that as it may, the main point is that the first Christians clearly recognized Jesus himself in this Servant (Acts 8:30-35).

Surely, after the Lord’s death, the Disciples searched the Scriptures for some explanation of what had happened, and they found a clear answer in the book of Isaiah. God does not save through worldly victory or success, but through humility, defeat, and laying down one’s life. What the prophet said about the “Servant of the Lord” was fully realized in Jesus of Nazareth. Today’s reading takes us to the beginning of this Servant’s story. Jesus was the Servant faithful to God, and the mission for which the Servant was chosen is the very mission our Lord carried out in His earthly life.

God’s Anointed One The Apostle Peter summarizes this briefly but clearly in the second reading. He tells us how “Jesus of Nazareth” proceeded, “anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

God the Father sent Him so that everyone—without exception—could be saved. It was hard for Peter to understand at first that even the centurion Cornelius, along with his relatives and friends, could be saved. But eventually, he accepted God’s will, which he received in a vision, and granted the waters of baptism to those who had listened to his message and received the Spirit.

The Baptism in the Jordan And so we arrive at the Gospel. After narrating the “Gospel of Childhood,” Matthew moves to present John the Baptist in the wilderness of Judea. During Advent, we heard his warnings: he announces a baptism of repentance because the Kingdom of Heaven is near. This isn’t just some empty ritual; it demands a radical change of life. It is something very serious.

Matthew is the only one who records the dialogue between the Baptist and Jesus, perhaps to explain how absurd it seems that Jesus—who had no sin—would come to receive a “Baptism of Repentance.” It is a scandal to see Jesus standing in line with sinners. That is why John tries to talk Him out of it: “I need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?”

Solidarity with Sinners It seems Jesus isn’t just trying to show us He is humble. What Jesus is doing here is much deeper. In the Jordan River, He stands in solidarity with all of us, the sinners. He is the “Servant of Yahweh” from the first reading, taking upon Himself the sins of all humanity, for that was His mission.

In a way, through this gesture, He is saying to us: “Give me everything bad in your life—your lies, your cowardice, your fears, your betrayals… I am going to free you from it all. Don’t keep it inside. I want you to be happy, and to be happy forever; that is why I forgive you, if you are truly sorry.”

Jesus’ answer to John the Baptist clarifies His mission from the very first moment: “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus’ obedience to the Father’s will reveals His status as Son, since in that culture, obedience was what defined a son’s relationship with his father. But this obedience isn’t forced submission; it is a voluntary following of what the Father expects of Him: giving His life, even unto death, for the salvation of the human race. To fulfill it “thus” means going all the way to the Cross.

The Heavens Open The voice heard from heaven is incredibly important for Matthew’s community. In those times, the people of Israel believed that heaven had been completely shut. They thought God was angry with them. The prophet Isaiah had pointed this out in his work: “Do not be so angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people… Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!” (Is 64:9; 63:19).

They felt God had forgotten them because they were sinners. By describing this voice coming down from above, Matthew gives his listeners good news: the Father has heard the plea of His people. The door to heaven has been thrown wide open, and He will never close it again. The enmity between heaven and earth is over. Jesus is the key that gives us access to the Kingdom. And everyone has a way in.

A New Beginning Matthew often compares Jesus to Moses. We can see Christ as the new Moses in this episode, too. Moses received the Spirit of God when he, along with all the people, came out of the waters of the Red Sea. That strength from God allowed him to guide the Hebrews for forty years through the desert to the Promised Land. Similarly, Jesus received the Spirit after coming out of the water of Baptism to gather and lead to freedom all those who are slaves to evil. He is the new Leader, the Father’s Beloved Son, the Chosen One.

With the solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord, the Christmas season ends, and we begin Ordinary Time. The scene at the Jordan is the beginning of the Savior’s public life. A “normal” time also opens up for us—a time of walking the everyday path—after the wonders we celebrated at Christmas.

But this is also a time of waiting and conversion. This first part of Ordinary Time will end on Ash Wednesday, February 18th. On that day, Lent begins—the ascent toward the glorious Easter. All times and moments serve for our conversion. And a characteristic of our change—of our search for the “new man”—must be peace and kindness. Jesus is gentle and peaceful. And so must we be.

We sincerely recommend reading and re-reading the Mass texts this week. Meditate on them in the silence of your rooms and in the—highly desirable—peace of your souls.

Your brother in faith,