Year of Faith: The Baptism of Christ

“The feast of the Baptism of Jesus introduces us into the daily regularity of a personal relationship with him. Indeed, by immersion in the waters of the Jordan, Jesus united himself with us. Baptism is, so to speak, the bridge he built between himself and us, the road on which he makes himself accessible to us. It is the divine rainbow over our lives, the promise of God’s great ‘yes,’ the door of hope and, at the same time, the sign that indicates to us the path to take actively and joyfully in order to encounter him and feel loved by him.” (Pope Benedict XVI; Homily Jan. 11, 2009)