John the Baptist was a significant character during Advent, and he reappears again here to close this season of Christmas.

Juan el Bautista fue un personaje significativo durante el Adviento, y ahora reaparece de nuevo aquí para cerrar la temporada de Navidad.

Today’s feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the end of the Christmas season. Except for Easter, the Baptism of the Lord is our oldest liturgical feast, going back to the first years of the second century. It has always been considered to be a primary feast in the church calendar, one which expresses both the Trinitarian and cosmic order of our salvation.

In the story we read in John’s gospel today both the Baptist and Jesus are baptizing at the same time, Jesus in Judea, and John in Aenon. It appears that a competition is brewing provoking a dispute between John’s disciples and a certain Jewish leader (Nicodemus?). Apparently, Jesus is attracting more followers than John, even though he himself did not actually baptize, likely leaving that ministry to the disciples acting under his agency and his authority (John 4:2). In any case, John once again gives testimony to his role: “I am the one who has been sent to go before him. No one can have anything except what is given him from heaven.” John’s response is simple, sincere, courageous, and visionary.