As we end the Christmas season with today’s celebration of Jesus’ Baptism by John in the waters of the Jordan River, we might ask ourselves “what is today’s celebration all about?”

We are told by John that he baptizes with water but when Jesus comes, He will baptize with “fire and the Holy Spirit.” What does this mean, and why do we then in the Catholic Church use water at baptisms?

Recall that after John’s water-based baptism of Jesus, the heavens opened up and the Holy Spirit, in the form of a Dove, descended upon Jesus. In our baptisms today in the Catholic Church—after the baptism proper with blessed water, the priest continues with an anointing and prayer that accompanies the Anointing after Baptism, here is the words of the prayer: “God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and welcomed you into his holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as a
member of his body, sharing everlasting life. Amen.”

Our baptized receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism so it's not surprising that there is an anointing there. The form at Baptism differs from that of Confirmation in the location of the anointing. The
anointing at Baptism is on the crown of the head while at Confirmation the anointing is on the
forehead. At both, the priest or bishop invokes the Holy Spirit to come upon the individual and bless them—giving them the fire of the Holy Spirit to ignite their faith so that they may spend it in the world around them.

As our baptisms (and for that our Confirmations) do not happen in the waters of the Jordan River we might “think” that the fire and the Holy Spirit that comes upon us is somehow different
then what came upon Jesus—or anyone else baptized in that sacred place. But we must be assured that we too are called to be “witnesses of Jesus’ Spirit Action in the world.” Our place of prayer and our Christian Actions that emanates from it is no less a witness of Jesus’ Spirit-action. In fact we are called to know that we are also the Beloved of God and that the Fire of the
Holy Spirit is called to fill us today—and we are called to receive it in our hearts—and change the world around us.

In Feeding the Hungry, at St. Elizabeth’s House, during the distribution of food supplies at
Pantry Partners, in the teaching of our students in religious education, in visiting the sick at McLean or St. Francis or at their homes, in calling younger family members to youth ministry and serve another in need, in proclaiming the Good News at Mass, or in singing God’s praises in the choirs and in every other ministry or program of the Church—supporting the Knights of Malta, our Neighbors in Need, the many, many corporal works of mercy of the Archbishop’s Annual
Appeal and more—you are the Fire of the Holy Spirit in our world today. That’s why we are celebrating The Baptism of the Lord—and our baptisms too!