The Baptism of our Lord

"Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen."
(First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord, BCP 214)

As we move into the season after Epiphany, the seasonal emphasis of Jesus as a baby in Christmas changes to seeing Jesus start his ministry as a young man. We will hear the stories of Jesus starting his ministry, in starting to show the world who he really is. This coming Sunday we will hear the story of Jesus being baptized by John in the Jordan River.

In some ways this story is quite appropriate for the beginning of a New Year. Jesus starts out his new ministry, and we start a new year again. Both are the beginnings of journeys which will take us further than we expect. Jesus may have had some knowledge of what would happen throughout his ministry, and we have some knowledge of what may await us in this new year, but there are always surprises along the way.

As we start out again this year, we join together to give thanks for the companions along the way. This season we will hear the stories of Jesus finding his companions, and perhaps this year we will find new companions along our ways. Let us offer up gratitude for the new beginnings and the new companions God gives to us each day.