Saturday after the Epiphany
Gospel: John 3:22 – 30
He Must Increase, I Must Decrease

We may often ponder such a question: Jesus and His precursor John were both baptizing the crowds. Whose baptism was more spiritually beneficial? From a liturgical perspective, the water used in baptism is meant to bring new life and, more importantly, purification. Thus, the water itself does not produce any actual effect.

If we read the Gospel carefully, we will find that when St. Luke spoke of the baptism administered by St. John the Baptist, he recorded: “John came throughout the region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”(cf. Lk 3:3) When John spoke of Christ, he testified thus: “I baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and water.”(cf. Lk 3:16) From this we can see that John’s baptism was merely an expression of our renunciation of our own sins. When we receive the Sacrament of Baptism from Christ through the hands of a priest, we are once and for all cleansed of original sin by the blood and water that flowed from Christ’s Sacred Side. When we receive the Holy Spirit of Christ, this Divine Spirit infuses His Word into our hearts, enabling us to live in the infinite love of God.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! Since we have been united with Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism and have become children of God by receiving the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, we must imitate the humility of St. John the Baptist, the meekness of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the holiness of the Holy Spirit. We must put God and the spread of the Gospel first in all things, and with a completely renewed attitude of life, fully assist Christ and His Church in proclaiming the Word of God to this changing world. May all peoples of the earth, by receiving the Word of God, no longer live in bondage but always dwell in the grace of God.

St. John the Baptist, pray for us. Amen.

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Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica