From the Pastor
Fr. Mike Comer shares his thoughts on Scripture, spirituality and the challenges of living the Gospel.
jesus' baptism—a beginning for all of us
Jan. 11, 2026
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord serves as a pivotal feast. It is the official end of the Christmas season, and it is the beginning of Ordinary Time.
In all four Gospels, our first encounter with the adult Jesus is at His baptism. From the finding of the child Jesus, at 12 years old, until His baptism, we have no biblical information. We presume that the Holy Family continued to live in Nazareth, that at some point, Joseph passed away, that Jesus continued His father’s carpentry business, at least for a while. There is speculation that at some point he left home, perhaps spending time in the Dead Sea area with the Qumran community, and perhaps travelling around Judea, getting to know the cities and the concerns of the people.
Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, began his active ministry, preaching and baptizing in the Jordan River. This was the point where the Hebrew people actually entered into the Promised Land. Through John’s baptism, the people were becoming New Israelites, starting over with God. Jesus came to John to be baptized. This was a problem, because John’s was a baptism involving repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Whose sins is Jesus repenting of?
In all four Gospels, our first encounter with the adult Jesus is at His baptism. From the finding of the child Jesus, at 12 years old, until His baptism, we have no biblical information. We presume that the Holy Family continued to live in Nazareth, that at some point, Joseph passed away, that Jesus continued His father’s carpentry business, at least for a while. There is speculation that at some point he left home, perhaps spending time in the Dead Sea area with the Qumran community, and perhaps travelling around Judea, getting to know the cities and the concerns of the people.
Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, began his active ministry, preaching and baptizing in the Jordan River. This was the point where the Hebrew people actually entered into the Promised Land. Through John’s baptism, the people were becoming New Israelites, starting over with God. Jesus came to John to be baptized. This was a problem, because John’s was a baptism involving repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Whose sins is Jesus repenting of?
John, recognizing the problem, says, “I should be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus tells him to allow it for now to fulfill all righteousness. What John does not understand is that Jesus has come into this world to take our sins upon Himself. We see this most clearly in the crucifixion, but even now, as He begins His ministry, He is showing that He has come into the world to take the sins of mankind onto Himself.
Baptism is not only the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, it is also the beginning of our journey of discipleship as we learn to follow Christ. In baptism we become children of God, disciples of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit.
—Fr. Mike Comer
Baptism is not only the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, it is also the beginning of our journey of discipleship as we learn to follow Christ. In baptism we become children of God, disciples of Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit.
—Fr. Mike Comer
