This weekend we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.
The Gospel tells us of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. After the baptism, “a voice came from the heavens, saying: ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:17)
Our opening song, “When Jesus Comes to Be Baptized”, speaks of this baptism. The tune is one we know to the words of an Advent song – “On Jordan’s Bank”. The tune is called Winchester New.
At the preparation of the altar, we sing “Wade in the Water”. This spiritual speaks of John the Baptist preaching of Christ’s coming (which we heard about in our Advent readings) and then of Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan by John. It ends with the final verse telling us: “if you want to follow Jesus, you must come and be baptized.”
The concluding hymn “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise” speaks of the three manifestations that I wrote of last week on the Feast of the Epiphany: manifested by the star to the sages from afar (the Feast of the Epiphany); manifest at Jordan’s stream, Prophet, Priest and King supreme (today on the Baptism of the Lord); and at Cana, as a wedding guest, changing water into wine (which we don’t have in Cycle A of readings).