After Epiphany, the Church teases forth into liturgical celebrations different manifestations of the Lord’s divinity, including His baptism by John in the Jordan. This is our Sunday celebration in the Ordinary Form, commemorated as well in the Extraordinary.
After His baptism, Christ went for 40 days into the desert to be tempted. During that same 40 days, the Baptist was tested through the interrogating embassy of the Pharisees. After their time of trial – indeed, the very next day (John 1:29) – Christ emerged from the desert and John, who had been questioned by the Jews about being the Messiah, pointed to Him: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” The next day after, John repeated his messianic cry: “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
