During Advent, Christmas, and the Epiphany season, many scripture passages highlight God’s revelation to His people through Jesus Christ, both personally and miraculously. Remember that on the First Sunday of Advent, we learned about our Lord’s glorious entry into Jerusalem, a significant moment that fulfilled prophecy and affirmed His role as the Promised Messiah. On this occasion, "the multitudes that went before and followed cried out, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest" (Matthew 21:9).

On Christmas Day, we recognized our Savior through St. John’s inspired words, who describes Christ as the Eternal Word: "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). During the Feast of the Epiphany, the Gospel recounts how the Magi followed a star until it "came and stood over where the young Child was." When they "saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy" and worshiped Him upon entering the house (Matthew 2:9-11).

The readings during these seasons give us multiple chances to recognize our Lord as the Promised Messiah, the Eternal Word, and the King of kings and Lord of lords. However, these passages also reveal our frequent inability to recognize Him. For example, while the people of Jerusalem celebrated during our Lord’s triumphant entry, they soon called for His crucifixion. St. John reminds us that although the Word became flesh, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (John 1:11), and while the wise men worshipped Him, another king, Herod, sought His death (Matthew 2:13).

Thus, while the Scriptures guide our attention toward various displays of Christ’s glory and divinity, we see continual examples of people who either fail to recognize or remain faithful to what has been revealed to them. Holy Scripture illustrates the sharp contrast between the few who faithfully acknowledge the Promised Messiah, embrace the Eternal Word, and worship the King, and the crowds who dismiss Him as just another failed messiah, unwilling to accept or honor Him.

The chosen readings for this season aim to help us avoid such pitfalls, and we pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Gospel offers another opportunity for the faithful to grasp who Jesus is, to invite Him into our hearts and minds, and to worship Him authentically. This passage discusses John the Baptist, God’s messenger, who prepared the way for the Lord.

John preached repentance and performed baptisms for the forgiveness of sins, being recognized by our Lord as the greatest "among those born of women" (Matthew 11:11). He humbly described Jesus as the One "whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose" (Mark 1:7), who would baptize not just with water, but "with the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (Matthew 3:11).

Despite being the greatest among humanity, John felt unworthy to serve our Lord, yet Jesus insisted on being baptized by him. St. Mark recounts the baptism: "And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mark 1:9-11).

Imagine this scene: As our Lord stood in the waters of baptism, the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended, and God the Father expressed His love and pleasure in His Son. This moment reveals the Holy Trinity, showcasing Christ’s glory and divinity while also reflecting the heart of Almighty God. We see that even as God the Son took on human flesh and experienced unimaginable suffering, the entire Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit—reached out in love to heal and redeem what was lost to our disobedience.

St. John wrote, "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him" (John 1:18). Jesus has made God known to us in a way that allows us to truly know Him, not just to know about Him. Through Christ, we don’t merely believe in Him; we belong to Him. When Jesus stood in the baptismal waters, He connected with His Father in Heaven and extended His hand to the world He sought to save.

In His baptism, our Lord invites us into the close communion He shares with the Father through the Holy Spirit. Indeed, like John the Baptist, we may feel unworthy to even untie His sandals, yet the miraculous truth revealed to us is that knowing the Father comes through knowing the Son.

To truly know the Father and live our earthly lives in unity with Him, we must first know the Son. Jesus declared, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). This profound statement is not just an assurance for our final moments; it signifies that Jesus is the path to the Father throughout our lives. The intimate fellowship among the Godhead—Father, Son, and Spirit—is a unique gift from Him, the God-man. We receive this gracious invitation when we, through faith, unite with Him in baptism (Romans 6:3-5), connecting us to every divine person of the Holy Trinity.

The Scriptures we’ve been reflecting on draw our attention to various aspects of Christ’s glory and divinity, and His baptism is one of the clearest affirmations of His identity as the Promised Messiah, the King of kings, the Eternal Word, and the Divine Second Person of the Holy Trinity—the God-man who reached upward to heaven while extending His love to the world. It is by God’s grace that we have been given the ability to see, hear, and have hearts open to not only recognize but also accept and remain faithful to the truth revealed to us.

This truth about our Savior and the incredible gift of grace calls us to worship, encouraging us to imitate the Magi in humbling ourselves before Him. Therefore, let us, with "steadfast thoughts and kindled affections," worship our Lord today and every day in spirit and truth, and may each act of worship in this life prepare us for the indescribable joy of eternal worship in His heavenly kingdom.

This Sermon reflects on key biblical events during Advent, Christmas, and the Epiphany season, emphasizing God's revelation through Jesus Christ and the challenges of recognizing Him.

• Christ's revelation during key seasons: The document highlights how Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany scriptures reveal Jesus as the Promised Messiah, the Eternal Word, and King of kings, while also noting humanity's frequent failure to recognize Him.
• Contrast between recognition and rejection: It contrasts the faithful few who acknowledge Christ with the many who reject or fail to honor Him, illustrating this through examples like the crowds in Jerusalem and King Herod.
• Significance of Jesus' baptism: The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is presented as a profound moment revealing the Holy Trinity and affirming Jesus' divine identity and mission, showing God's love and the unity of Father, Son, and Spirit.
• Invitation to faith and worship: The document calls believers to recognize Jesus as the way to the Father, to embrace the grace offered through baptism, and to worship Him sincerely as preparation for eternal joy.