Tag Archives: Baptism of the Lord

January 3, 2022

Study, Pray, Serve: The Baptism of the Lord

By Fr. Andrew Ricci
Photo by Mabel Amber on Pexels.com

Let’s take a look at some of the key themes that surface in the readings for the Baptism of the Lord. Please note that there are options for the 1st Reading, Psalm and 2nd Reading!

1st Reading – Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7

  • Isaiah speaks of God’s chosen one in whom he is well pleased.
  • This servant shall perform mighty deeds that bring hope and life to the people.

1st Reading – Isaiah 40:1-5,9-11

  • The people hear of the one who will prepare the way of the Lord.
  • The herald brings good news of comfort and tenderness which casts out fear.

Psalm 29:1-4,9-10

  • “The Lord will bless his people with peace.”
  • Glory and praise is given to God who reigns with might over heaven and earth.

Psalm 104:1-4,24-25,27-30

  • “O bless the Lord, my soul”
  • God’s majesty is praised for the goodness of all creation.

2nd Reading – Acts 10:34-38

  • While in the house of Cornelius (a non-Jew) Peter teaches about Jesus.
  • Peter references the baptism of John and the power of Jesus to do good deeds.

2nd Reading – Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7

  • The grace of God trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires.
  • We have been saved through the “bath of rebirth” and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Gospel – Luke 3:15-16,21-22

  • John testifies that one mightier than he is coming who will baptize the people with the Holy Spirit and fire.
  • As Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit comes upon him in the form of a dove and the Father’s voice is heard from heaven.

Mass Readings – The Baptism of the Lord

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Catholic Inspiration Archives

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January 10, 2021

The Baptism of the Lord. Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci
Photo by Josh Sorenson on Pexels.com

The Baptism of the Lord inspires us to claim the gift of our own baptism as we follow Christ and live the gift of life infused with faith.

Mass Readings – Baptism of the Lord

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January 4, 2021

The Baptism of the Lord

By Fr. Andrew Ricci
My photo at the Jordan River while on pilgrimage in the Holy Land in 2019.

Study:  Find out about your baptism.  When was it?  Who performed it?  Who are your Godparents?  Who else was present?

Pray:  Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.

Serve:  How can you live your baptismal call today?  How can your faith inspire or assist another?

Mass Readings – The Baptism of the Lord

A few years ago I was having lunch when I ran into Fr. Bob Koszarek, a retired priest from our diocese.  When I asked him what brought him out for lunch he said, “I am celebrating the anniversary of my baptism.”  The comment struck me, especially when he followed it up with, “Do you know the day of your baptism?”

The answer is no.  Yet as I prepare for Mass this week I have made a commitment to find out.  We claim (rightly so) that baptism is a crucial sacrament in the Church – the gateway to all other sacraments whereby we are configured to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Most people know if they have been baptized; my sense is that very few know the actual date.

Our faith is a precious gift – worth fighting for, worth dying for.  Perhaps today we pause to recall just how precious it truly is…Jesus Christ poured out his blood on the Cross for us that we might have eternal life.  His baptism was the revelation of the Trinity, where we hear the Father’s voice from heaven as the Spirit descends upon the Son in the form of a dove.  Our baptism allows us to participate fully in God’s presence for the grace and guidance we need.

I invite us today to claim our baptism.  Some simple steps:

  • Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know Jesus and live as a Christian disciple
  • Embrace your faith through study and prayer
  • Serve others in the name of Jesus Christ (and with his help and strength)
  • Allow your life to bring Good News to the World

Our baptism is not a one time event.  Rather, it is an ongoing expression of Christ working through us.  May the Baptism of the Lord inspire us to live our faith with joy as we engage our lives with his power.

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Catholic Inspiration Archives

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Note: This post was first published on January 4, 2016.

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January 12, 2020

The Baptism of the Lord. Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

The baptism of Jesus recalls the gift of our own baptism and how our lives are now configured to Christ. May we live this great gift as we put our faith into practice.

Mass Readings – The Baptism of the Lord

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Catholic Inspiration Archives

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Feasts & Solemnities, Podcast

January 6, 2020

The Baptism of the Lord

By Fr. Andrew Ricci
Bautismo_de_Cristo_por_Navarrete_el_Mudo

Study:  Find out about your baptism.  When was it?  Who performed it?  Who are your Godparents?  Who else was present?

Pray:  Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.

Serve:  How can you live your baptismal call today?  How can your faith inspire or assist another?

Mass Readings – The Baptism of the Lord

A few years ago I was having lunch when I ran into Fr. Bob Koszarek, a retired priest from our diocese.  When I asked him what brought him out for lunch he said, “I am celebrating the anniversary of my baptism.”  The comment struck me, especially when he followed it up with, “Do you know the day of your baptism?”

The answer is no.  Yet as I prepare for Mass this week I have made a commitment to find out.  We claim (rightly so) that baptism is a crucial sacrament in the Church – the gateway to all other sacraments whereby we are configured to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Most people know if they have been baptized; my sense is that very few know the actual date.

Our faith is a precious gift – worth fighting for, worth dying for.  Perhaps today we pause to recall just how precious it truly is…Jesus Christ poured out his blood on the Cross for us that we might have eternal life.  His baptism was the revelation of the Trinity, where we hear the Father’s voice from heaven as the Spirit descends upon the Son in the form of a dove.  Our baptism allows us to participate fully in God’s presence for the grace and guidance we need.

I invite us today to claim our baptism.  Some simple steps:

  • Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know Jesus and live as a Christian disciple
  • Embrace your faith through study and prayer
  • Serve others in the name of Jesus Christ (and with his help and strength)
  • Allow your life to bring Good News to the World

Our baptism is not a one time event.  Rather, it is an ongoing expression of Christ working through us.  May the Baptism of the Lord inspire us to live our faith with joy as we engage our lives with his power.

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Catholic Inspiration Archives

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Bautismo de Cristo, Juan Fernandez Nararrete; circa 1567, The Prado, Madrid, Spain.

Note: This post was first published on January 4, 2016.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Feasts & Solemnities

January 13, 2019

The Baptism of the Lord: We are blessed and beloved by God. Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

The baptism of Jesus reveals the power of the Holy Trinity.  As the Father calls Jesus his beloved Son, we recognize that through our baptism we are configured as sons and daughters of God, beloved children who are empowered to bring Christ’s light to the world.

Mass Readings – The Baptism of the Lord

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Catholic Inspiration Archives

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January 7, 2019

The Baptism of the Lord

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Bautismo_de_Cristo_por_Navarrete_el_Mudo

Study:  Find out about your baptism.  When was it?  Who performed it?  Who are your Godparents?  Who else was present?

Pray:  Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.

Serve:  How can you live your baptismal call today?  How can your faith inspire or assist another?

Mass Readings – The Baptism of the Lord

A few years ago I was having lunch when I ran into Fr. Bob Koszarek, a retired priest from our diocese.  When I asked him what brought him out for lunch he said, “I am celebrating the anniversary of my baptism.”  The comment struck me, especially when he followed it up with, “Do you know the day of your baptism?”

The answer is no.  Yet as I prepare for Mass this week I have made a commitment to find out.  We claim (rightly so) that baptism is a crucial sacrament in the Church – the gateway to all other sacraments whereby we are configured to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Most people know if they have been baptized; my sense is that very few know the actual date.

Our faith is a precious gift – worth fighting for, worth dying for.  Perhaps today we pause to recall just how precious it truly is…Jesus Christ poured out his blood on the Cross for us that we might have eternal life.  His baptism was the revelation of the Trinity, where we hear the Father’s voice from heaven as the Spirit descends upon the Son in the form of a dove.  Our baptism allows us to participate fully in God’s presence for the grace and guidance we need.

I invite us today to claim our baptism.  Some simple steps:

  • Thank the Lord for the gift of faith to know Jesus and live as a Christian disciple
  • Embrace your faith through study and prayer
  • Serve others in the name of Jesus Christ (and with his help and strength)
  • Allow your life to bring Good News to the World

Our baptism is not a one time event.  Rather, it is an ongoing expression of Christ working through us.  May the Baptism of the Lord inspire us to live our faith with joy as we engage our lives with his power.

***************

Catholic Inspiration Archives

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Bautismo de Cristo, Juan Fernandez Nararrete; circa 1567, The Prado, Madrid, Spain.

Note: This post was first published on January 4, 2016.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Feasts & Solemnities

January 6, 2018

Daily Mass: Humbly, simply and openly. Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Today offers two options for the Gospel reading – the baptism of Jesus in Mark or the genealogy of Christ in Luke – and reveals to us the humble, simple and open manner in which the Lord meets us in our human weakness.

Mass Readings – Christmas weekday

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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts

Photo Credit: Son of God, 2014

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