Music Notes for The Baptism of the Lord, January 11, 2026 Dr. John Michniewicz
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord concludes the Christmas season and serves as a transition to the Season of Ordinary time. During Ordinary time, the readings focus on the meaningful events of Jesus’ earthly ministry. First though, we see the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The readings highlight Jesus’ identity and mission, and show the beginning of his public ministry.
The First Reading, Isaiah 42:1–4, 6–7, is known as the first of the four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah. In this passage, the servant is chosen and introduced, empowered by God’s Spirit to gently but firmly bring justice, establish a covenant, and be a light to the nations. This theme is continued in Psalm 29 with its responsorial refrain: “The Lord will bless his people with peace.” The verses of the psalm continue by praising God’s majesty and power, emphasizing the “voice of the Lord” which “thunders over the waters.” This identifies God’s voice, which is then again shown in the Gospel reading. In the Second Reading, Acts 10:34–38, Peter recounts how Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit for his mission and public ministry. The Gospel reading, Matthew 3:13–17, directly shows Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. The core message is what is known as the Theophany or the manifestation of God. The heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and the voice of God the Father, as described in the Psalm, declares, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus is confirmed as the Beloved Son of God and is the servant foretold by the prophets, anointed to bring justice and salvation to all nations.
Our Entrance Hymn, To Jordan Jesus Humbly Came (Worship No. 457) was written in 2004 by Alan Hommerding, a prominent Chicago area hymn writer and editor. The hymn perfectly describes Jesus’ baptism, highlighting his “gospel mission,” the Spirit’s descent, “God’s thundering voice” and Christ’s anointing. The final stanza of the hymn states that: “God names us sons and daughters, too, In font and Spirit born anew.” Commentator Michael McMahon observes that the hymn “presents Christ’s baptism as the pattern for our own entry into the waters and for a new and deeper relationship with him.”
Interestingly, the hymn tune, WINCHESTER NEW evokes images of John baptizing at the Jordan River because of its connection to the Advent hymn “On Jordan’s Bank,” McMahon continues: “In this way the tune makes a musical connection between Advent and the manifestation of Christ that we celebrate at Christmas and Epiphany.”
To Jordan Jesus humbly came, His Gospel mission to proclaim;
On earth, in heav’n, God’s will was done by God’s beloved only Son.
John plunged him in that wat’ry grave, Christ rose to teach and heal and save, To show us how to die to sin
And share eternal life with him.
God’s thund’ring voice the heavens rends, The Spirit’s might on him descends;
The Word-made-Flesh, with grace infused, Anointed, goes to bring Good News.
God names us sons and daughters, too, In font and Spirit born anew;
in Christ we die, with Christ we rise, Through Christ we enter paradise!
At the 11:30 Mass, during the Presentation of the Gifts, the Choir will sing: Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, arranged by Richard Shepherd. This English Carol is thought to date from the mystery plays of the late Medieval period, but first appears in a collection entitled Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern in 1833. The verses of the hymn tell the life story of Jesus, as recounted in his own voice. Hearkening the Medieval time period is the feature that characterizes Jesus’ life as a dance, and his incarnation as the “dancing day.” This idea was also later used in the famous modern hymn by Sydney Carter: “Lord of the Dance.” The tune features an uptempo, even dance-like rhythm, and the major key gives it a celebratory feeling. While the full carol recounts Jesus’ entire life, including his Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, the four verses of this setting focus on Jesus’ incarnation, birth, lying in the manger, and baptism. As a Christmas Carol, it also perfectly bridges the period between Christmas and Ordinary time. The “dance” can be seen as a metaphor for salvation and Christ’s joyful relationship with humanity, inviting believers (Christ’s “true love”) to join in his “dance.”
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day; I would my true love did so chance To see the legend of my play,
To call my true love to my dance;
Refrain: Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love, This have I done for my true love.
Then was I born of a virgin pure, Of her I took fleshly substance Thus was I knit to man’s nature To call my true love to my dance.
In a manger laid, and wrapped I was So very poor, this was my chance Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass
To call my true love to my dance. Then afterwards baptized I was;
The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
My Father’s voice heard I from above, To call my true love to my dance.
Here is a performance of “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaTPBUYoPB8
As the Communion meditation at the 11:30 Mass, the choir will sing a newly composed selection by David Blackwell, “My Son, the Beloved.” Blackwell, based in Great Britain, studied music at Edinburgh University and is a longtime freelance composer, and award winning arranger, writer and editor. He was Head of Music Publishing at Oxford University Press and was an editorial director for ABRSM Publishing.
My Son, the Beloved recounts Jesus’ Baptism in a contemporary, meditative setting that features interesting musical text painting. For example, there is an upward musical line on the text: “He saw the heavens” and there are downward musical lines on the text “the Spirit descending like a dove,” followed by a trill in the accompaniment depicting the fluttering of the Dove’s wings. The piece culminates with a moving and heartfelt, loving declaration: “You are my Son, you are my Son, the Beloved.”
Here is a performance of My Son, the Beloved
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQB0NjnStXU
In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee. And was baptized by John in the Jordan.
And as he came out of the water, he saw the heavens,
The heavens torn apart, and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, came from heaven,
“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” “My Son, the Beloved.”
Our Final Hymn is: Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (Worship Hymnal No. 451). This hymn, written by Christopher Wordsworth (1807–1885) is a great final hymn, and serves as a summary of the entire Epiphany season. The first verse speaks to the Feast of the Epiphany itself, the star and the sages (wisemen). The Baptism of the Lord is recounted in the second verse, and the recitation of some of the prominent aspects in Jesus earthly ministry in verse three. The fourth verse is a petition to give grace “That we, pure like you, may be At your great Epiphany.” The lyrics celebrate the revelation of Christ’s divinity to the world, which is fully realized at the Jordan through the Father’s voice. The final stanza’s request for grace and eternal sight is a response to the divine mystery revealed. The author, Christopher Wordsworth, was educated at Cambridge, and was a University Headmaster and Lecturer before becoming a Canon of Westminster Abbey in 1844. He was later Bishop of London, beginning in 1868. He wrote over 119 published hymns. The tune SALZBURG was written by Jakob Hintze in the late 1600’s. The version featured in most hymnals was harmonized by J.S. Bach (1685-1750) and is used for a variety of texts.
- Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to you we raise, Manifested by the star To the sages from afar;
Branch of royal David’s stem In your birth at Bethlehem; Anthems be to you addressed, God in flesh made manifest.
- Manifest at Jordan’s stream, Prophet, Priest, and King supreme; And at Cana, wedding guest, In your Godhead manifest;
Manifest in pow’r divine, Changing water into wine; Anthems be to you addressed, God in flesh made manifest.
- Manifest in making whole Palsied limbs and fainting soul; Manifest in valiant fight, Quelling all the devil’s might; Manifest in gracious will, Ever bringing good from ill; Anthems be to you addressed, God in flesh made manifest.
- Grant us grace to see you, Lord, Present in your holy word. By that grace which you endow, Help us imitate you now,
That we, pure like you, may be At your great epiphany;
And may praise you, ever blest, God in flesh made manifest.The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord concludes the Christmas season and transitions into Ordinary Time, focusing on Jesus’ identity and the start of his public ministry.