It is the first Sunday after the Epiphany. Today’s Bach cantata is “Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam: (Christ our Lord came to the Jordan):

Today’s Gospel reading is Matthew 3:13-17:

The Baptism of Jesus

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

The text of today’s piece is available here. It contains these words:

Christ our Lord came to the Jordan
according to His Father’s will,
He received baptism from Saint John,
to fulfill his work and destiny;
thus He wishes to draw us a bath,
to cleanse us from sin,
to drown bitter death as well
through His own blood and wounds;
it permitted a new life.

. . . .

This God has clearly
provided with words and with pictures,
at the Jordan the Father allowed openly
Christ to hear his voice during baptism;
He said: this is My beloved Son,
with Whom I am well pleased,
He is, from the high throne of heaven
for the world’s sake
come in lowly form,
and has taken on the flesh and blood
of humanity;
now take Him as your Savior
and listen to His valuable teachings!

Happy listening! Soli Deo gloria.

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]