Bulletin - January 18, 2026

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Father Julio

Reflection

Jesus' public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan.

[Cf. Lk 3:23; Acts 1:22] John preaches "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins". [Lk 3:3] A crowd of sinners [Cf. Lk 3:10-14; Mt 3:7; 21:32] - tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes - come to be baptized by him. "Then Jesus appears." The Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven proclaims, "This is my beloved Son." [Mt 3:13-17] This is the manifestation ("Epiphany") of Jesus as Messiah of Israel and Son of God.

The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inaugura-tion of his mission as God's suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". [Jn 1:29; cf. Is 53:12] Already he is anticipating the "baptism" of his bloody death. [Cf. Mk 10:38; Lk 12:50] Already he is coming to "fulfil all righteousness", that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father's will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. [Mt 3:15; cf. 26:39] The Father's voice responds to the Son's ac-ceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. [Cf. Lk 3:22; Is 42:1] The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to "rest on him". [Jn 1:32-33; cf. Is 11:2] Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism "the heavens were opened" [Mt 3:16] - the heavens that Adam's sin had closed - and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation.

Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father's beloved son in the Son and "walk in newness of life" (CCC 535-537)

PADRE Julio

Reflexión

El comienzo (cf. Lc 3, 23) de la vida pública de Jesús es su bautismo por Juan en el Jordán (cf. Hch 1, 22). Juan proclamaba "un bautismo de conversión para el perdón de los pecados" (Lc 3, 3). Una multitud de pecadores, publicanos y soldados (cf. Lc 3, 10-14), fariseos y saduceos (cf. Mt 3, 7) y prostitutas (cf. Mt 21, 32) viene a hacerse bautizar por él. "Entonces aparece Jesús". El Bautista duda. Jesús insiste y recibe el bautismo. Entonces el Espíritu Santo, en forma de paloma, viene sobre Jesús, y la voz del cielo proclama que él es "mi Hijo amado" (Mt 3, 13-17). Es la manifestación ("Epifanía") de Jesús como Mesías de Israel e Hijo de Dios.

El bautismo de Jesús es, por su parte, la aceptación y la inauguración de su misión de Siervo doliente. Se deja contar entre los pecadores (cf. Is 53, 12); es ya "el Cordero de Dios que quita el pecado del mundo" (Jn 1, 29); anticipa ya el "bautismo" de su muerte sangrienta (cf Mc 10, 38; Lc 12, 50). Viene ya a

"cumplir toda justicia" (Mt 3, 15), es decir, se somete enteramente a la voluntad de su Padre: por amor acepta el bautismo de muerte para la remisión de nuestros pecados (cf.Mt 26, 39). A esta aceptación responde la voz del Padre que pone toda su complacencia en su Hijo (cf. Lc 3, 22; Is 42, 1). El E s p íritu que Jesús posee en plenitud desde su concepción viene a "posarse" sobre él (Jn 1, 32-33; cf. Is 11, 2). De él manará este Espíritu para toda la humanidad. En su bautismo, "se abrieron los cielos" (Mt 3, 16) que el pecado de Adán había cerrado; y las aguas fueron santificadas por el descenso de Jesús y del Espíritu como preludio de la nueva creación.

Por el Bautismo, el cristiano se asimila sacramentalmente a Jesús q u e anticipa en su bautismo su muerte y su resurrección: debe en tr ar en este misterio de rebajamiento humilde y de arrepentimiento, descender al agua con Jesús, para subir con él, renacer del agua y del Espíritu para convertirse, en el Hijo, en hijo amado del Padre y "vivir una vida nueva" (Rm 6, 4): (CIC 535-537)