Walking with Jesus on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord A

For Sunday, January 11, 2026

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17


There are some interesting and intriguing lines in today’s readings that can lead to deep reflections on God’s plan: specifically, why Jesus came, what His plan means for you and me, and its purpose for everyone of all times, ages and cultures — heaven. Does this mean it’s just for Christians who are baptized, or is it for all people — even those who don’t believe, don’t want to believe, or have no idea what and how to believe? Yes, this is for everyone God placed in the world — whether for a few moments or for many, many years. Yes for everyone. God loved us from our birth, planned our birth, and placed people in our lives so that each would be touched by God’s agent of love, peace, compassion, caring and forgiveness. We struggle with the goal of realizing that all are loved by God and needed by God to be His agents of love. Maybe that only happens at a fleeting moment, maybe even once? Could that be why God created me, for just one moment? Why not? God is love, and we need to know we are loved — and when we do, we can love — so, in that moment, love is the plan, with the promised goal for us to be in heaven forever with God who is love.

So what is God’s plan? We see it in a simplified but deep way in today’s three readings, affirming that Jesus is the Son of God:

• By a Divine Voice in Matthew 3:16-17: “After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove. A voice came from heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.’”
• In the second reading from Acts 10:38, echoed in Cornelius’ house when Peter, summarizing Jesus and His mission, says, “you know … what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
• Centuries earlier in Isaiah 42:6-7, Isaiah proclaims the first of his four Servants Songs describing the chosen one, empowered by God’s spirit: “Thus says the Lord: Here is My servant whom I uphold, My chosen one with whom I am pleased upon whom I have put My spirit; He will bring forth justice to the nations ... to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeons those who live in darkness.”

Today's feast of Jesus’ Baptism as the anointed servant of God brings the Christmas season to a close. It reveals who God is for us and who we are to be for others in Christ. Isaiah describes the kind of Messiah God intends Jesus to be: He will not exercise harsh justice as a big, almighty, powerful judge would. He will not be one who will wield a sword of anger and vengeance on the battlefield. This Messiah will be a servant, mighty but gentle, committed to the hurting, the forgotten and the needy, who attends to the least within the human community. So overall, what is God’s Chosen One like? He does not conform to the expectations of the rich and famous, to those who are self-absorbed with themselves. He is filled with the Spirit of God and acts out of that gentle, compassionate spirit. If God is teaching you and me a lesson right now, have we heard it? Where is my concern: Do I care for those God cares about, especially the down-and-outers?

So the question is: For whom did the Messiah of God come? God in Jesus came for all, most especially those whom society discarded — people who were broken and suffering. We have expanded the list to include those who are not “in our comfort zone” like the homeless, the unemployed, the abandoned children, the abused, the helpless, the elderly. Jesus came to the strangers among us who had different cultural customs ... those who worshiped in different ways. He came to those who had gotten kicked out, whom we have refused to let in. Jesus came for all.

Paul tells us that we are the Gospel to all. We are to bring the Good News of the Gospel to all people. In our Advent Penance examination of consciences we are asked, “How am I loving God?” How am I loving the people close to me: family, relatives, friends, classmates, those I work and share time with, those I call friends and those I don’t? The bottom line is: You and I face the same challenge, to be participants in the servant messiahship of Jesus: LOVE.

So I reflect on:

• I look back on how I prepared for and celebrated the coming of Jesus. What is God asking of me now? Am I showing no partiality?
• In our own baptism we were called by name and chosen for a particular purpose on earth. Am I feeling empowered? Do I ask God about this?

Sacred Space 2026 states:

“The scene and event we are praying about today is very significant both for ourselves and for Jesus, as it begins to explain why Jesus came on earth and how he proceeded to work and to inspire humankind. We may find it helpful to think about what our own baptism has done for us as we recall how the Holy Spirit came down and graced us for mission. We give thanks for that gift and pray that it bears much fruit, not only for ourselves but also for those we encounter in our lives.”