Today we celebrate the baptism of Jesus.  Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.  The baptism of Jesus marks the end of Christmas season. Christmas season is over, but the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of peace, the spirit of joy remain.  We all celebrate our birthday with great joy.  We have just celebrated the birthday of Jesus, certainly the greatest birthday of all.  Now we are celebrating the feast of His baptism, but I wonder how many of us celebrate the anniversary of our baptisms?  How many of us even know when we were baptized? The baptism of Jesus also marks the beginning of His public ministry.  After He was baptized, Jesus began His ministry to preach, to proclaim and to heal.  In today’s gospel, John the Baptist says: He baptizes by water but the one who comes after him, Jesus, is coming to baptize by Holy Spirit.  So, the baptism of John does not give the Holy Spirit.  It was a baptism of repentance.  It was a sign for those who wanted to repent and change their lives.  Meanwhile the baptism of Jesus gives Holy Spirit.  Remember what Jesus says when He sent his apostles: Go into the world, make disciples, baptizing in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  So, the baptism of Jesus is for everyone: children….. Jesus never said that we should baptize only the adults.  The question we ask ourselves today is: Why did Jesus allow himself to be baptized if the baptism of John was the baptism of repentance.  First of all, being baptized in the River Jordan, Jesus shows His total solidarity with us. As He came to be one of us, Christ identified Himself with the people in their search for God.  In other words, Jesus allows Himself to be baptized too because He wants us to feel that He is one with us in our longing and desire for God.  He is baptized not because He is conscious of sin and of the need of repentance, but because He knows that He too must identify Himself with the people movement towards God.  Also, Jesus allowed himself to be baptize because He wanted to show us what happens when we are baptized.