In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Beloved friends in Our Lord,
“The voice of the Lord is upon the waters,” declares the Psalmist (Psalm 29:3), and today, at the Jordan River, that voice resounds with crystal clarity: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). We gather to celebrate not merely a historical event, but the very manifestation, the Theophany of our Triune God.
The depths of this mystery reveal to us what St. Maximus the Confessor calls the “double movement” of God’s economy of salvation. First, the Logos, the Eternal Word descends, emptying Himself to assume our nature. Then, having united humanity to Himself, He lifts us up to participate in divine life. At the Jordan, we see both movements simultaneously: Christ descends into the waters, and in doing so, raises up all of creation to new life.
St. Symeon the New Theologian further illuminates this mystery, teaching that the light that shone at Theophany is the same uncreated light that shone on Mount Tabor, the light of divine glory that transforms all it touches. This light, he says, is not merely a physical phenomenon but the very energies of God made manifest, penetrating the material world and making it a vehicle of divine grace.
Let us contemplate this mystery through the words of our Divine Services. At Vespers we sing: “The River Jordan was turned back by the mantle of Elisha when Elijah was taken up, and the waters were divided hither and thither. The waters became a dry path before him, as a true symbol of baptism, by which we pass through this shifting life.” Just as Joshua led Israel through the Jordan into the Promised Land, Christ now leads us through baptismal waters into the Kingdom of Heaven.
The great theologian St. Gregory of Nyssa teaches us that there are three births: physical birth, baptismal regeneration, and resurrection. Today’s feast illuminates the second of these, our baptismal regeneration. For when Christ descends into the Jordan, He does something unprecedented. St. Sophronios of Jerusalem explains: “Christ is illumined, let us shine forth with Him. Christ is baptised, let us descend with Him that we may also ascend with Him.”
A question that is often asked why did the Jesus, the Sinless One seek baptism? What was the need? St. John Chrysostom provides three reasons:
1. To fulfill all righteousness by identifying with us- Christ’s complete identification with humanity – not just in theory but in actual physical solidarity, The fulfillment of God’s saving plan through direct participation in our condition, entering into human situations to transform them from within. “Righteousness” here does not mean simply following rules, but rather the complete restoration of human nature through God’s direct participation in our condition.
2. To manifest the Trinity
3. To sanctify the waters of baptism for our regeneration
The waters of the Jordan become, in St. Ephrem the Syrian’s striking phrase, “a womb of life,” giving birth to the new creation. This is why the Church’s celebration of Theophany includes the Great Blessing of Waters, not as a mere commemoration, but as a participation in this ongoing sanctification of matter.
St. Athanasius the Great connects this feast directly to the doctrine of theosis, our deification. He writes that “God became man so that man might become god.” The waters that touch His deified human nature become themselves deifying, capable of transmitting divine life to all who are baptized.
The implications for our daily lives are profound and practical:
First, in our homes: The Church blesses water today not as mere ritual, but as a recognition that all creation is being renewed. When you take this blessed water home, sprinkle it in every room with prayer. Let it remind you that Christ sanctifies every aspect of our lives—our eating, our sleeping, our working, our relationships.
Second, in our relationships: Just as Christ humbled Himself before John, we must practice humility in our daily interactions. When someone wrongs you this week, remember the One who, though sinless, submitted to a baptism of repentance.
Third, in our spiritual warfare: The troparian teaches us, “When Thou, O Lord, wast baptised in the Jordan, worship of the Trinity was made manifest… and enlightened the world.” Keep a bottle of blessed water by your icons. In moments of temptation, remember your own baptism and make the sign of the cross with this water.
Fourth, in our witness to the world: The Kontakion proclaims, “Thou hast appeared today to the world, and Thy light, O Lord, has been signed upon us.” This light must shine through concrete actions in our daily lives. Just as Christ sanctified the waters by entering them, we sanctify our surroundings through holy living:
When at work, transform your workspace through peaceful presence and honest labour, remembering that Christ blessed all human work through His incarnation. When a colleague is struggling, offer to help without drawing attention to yourself, just as Christ quietly entered the waters.
In your neighbourhood, practice hospitality as a reflection of God’s welcome to all humanity. Keep your home open for those in need of conversation or comfort. When blessing your house with Theophany water, pray for your neighbours by name.
With strangers, cultivate what St. Isaac the Syrian calls “a merciful heart”—one that burns with love for all creation. Let people finish their sentences. Listen more than you speak. Offer genuine smiles and small kindnesses. Remember that each person you meet is someone for whom Christ entered the waters.
In moments of conflict, be like the Jordan’s waters, yielding, yet transformative. When someone speaks harshly, respond with gentleness. When someone speaks harshly, respond with gentleness. When you see someone excluded, include them. When you witness injustice, stand firm but without hatred, remembering that Christ came not to condemn but to save. Our beloved Metropolitan Hilarion of blessed memory showed us this path through his own life and ministry. Even in the most difficult periods of division within the Church, he remained, as many testified, a man of peace and reconciliation. While never compromising on truth, he exemplified and testified Christ’s approach at the Jordan – entering into the depths of human struggle with gentleness and love. Just as Metropolitan Hilarion worked tirelessly to welcome those on the margins of church life; while maintaining unwavering faithfulness to Orthodox tradition, we too must learn to stand firm in truth while extending Christ’s love to all. His example teaches us that true witness means being, as he often said, “a bridge of understanding” much like the feast of Theophany itself which is a bridge between heaven and earth. Remember, that without Vladyka I would not be standing. And it is my mission to spread his love and speak about him till I die. He ordained me for a purpose, and I must carry on his work in his church to which he surrendered his youth and his entire life to. And to the Russian lands he adored and loved.
Remember friends that in Christ to be genuine and unforced like Vladyka was. People should see in us not religious performance but authentic transformation, just as the waters of the Jordan were truly transformed by Christ’s presence. This witness to holiness comes not through preaching but through being living icons of Christ’s epiphany in the world.
Consider the profound symbolism in today’s feast:
– The dove recalls Noah’s ark, announcing not just the end of a flood, but the beginning of humanity’s renewal
– The Jordan’s waters connect us to Naaman’s cleansing, Moses’ crossing of the Red Sea, and Joshua’s entry to the Promised Land
– The voice from heaven echoes God’s voice at Creation, now proclaiming the beginning of the new creation in Christ
As you return to your homes today, carry with you not just blessed water, but the recognition that you too are called to manifest God’s light in the world. When you bless yourself with this water, remember that you are marked as Christ’s own. When you drink it, recall that you are called to thirst for righteousness. When you bless your homes with it, remember that every space can become sacred space through our faithful stewardship.
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
Copyright © 2025 The Rev. Adrian Augustus. The Russian Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael, Blacktown, NSW.
