The Baptism of Jesus

Today we're going to learn about a very special day when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. This story shows us who Jesus really is - the Son of God! Jesus was about thirty years old when He walked to the Jordan River to find His cousin, John the Baptist. John was baptizing people in the river, helping them turn away from their sins and come closer to God. When John saw Jesus coming toward him, he was surprised! John knew that Jesus was holy and didn't need to be baptized like everyone else. 'I should be baptized by You!' John said to Jesus. But Jesus gently told John that this was part of God's plan. Can anyone guess why Jesus wanted to be baptized even though He never sinned? So John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, something amazing happened! The heavens opened up, and the Holy Spirit came down like a beautiful dove and rested on Jesus. Then everyone heard God the Father's voice from heaven saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!' This was like God introducing Jesus to the world. What do you think the people watching felt when they heard God's voice? In our Maronite tradition, we celebrate this beautiful moment during the feast of Epiphany, because it was when God revealed that Jesus is truly His Son. The word 'epiphany' means 'showing' or 'revealing.' The beautiful lesson for us today is that just like Jesus, we are also beloved children of God! When we were baptized, we became part of God's family. God loves each one of us so very much, and He wants us to live as His special children every day.