The words of John Baptist remind us of a crucial spiritual point, “He must increase, I must decrease.” May we seek to let Christ increase his rule in our hearts each and every day.
Mass Readings – Saturday after Epiphany
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Tag Archives: John the Baptist
The Baptism of the Lord
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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Bautismo de Cristo, Juan Fernandez Nararrete; circa 1567, The Prado, Madrid, Spain.
Note: This post was first published on January 4, 2016.
Daily Mass: The example of John the Baptist. Catholic Inspiration
John the Baptist offers an example of discipleship in the Gospel today. As the crowds flock to his preaching and baptism of repentance, John consistently redirects their attention toward Jesus. May we do the same in our lives today.
Mass Readings – Christmas Weekday
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Daily Mass: Recognizing the Lord in our lives. Catholic Inspiration
Elizabeth was aware of God’s presence through both the baby in her womb and the woman at her door. May we actively seek the Lord’s presence in our lives…so that we are ready when we returns!
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Daily Mass: Confronting our doubts and embracing our faith. Catholic Inspiration
As Zechariah hears the message of hope from the Angel Gabriel, he expresses his doubts. May his example help us to honestly confront our own struggles of faith as we turn toward the Lord.
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3rd Sunday of Advent: Christ restores our lives. Catholic Inspiration
Jesus references the prophet Isaiah in answer to the question “Are you the one who is to come?” and offers us a renewed sense of hope as we bring our shortcomings and weaknesses to the Lord.
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Advent
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3rd Sunday of Advent: The Lord comes with power.
Study: Consider a moment when you were greatly helped by someone. How did it feel to have their support?
Pray: Set before the Lord your challenges and remember in your daily prayers the needs of others.
Serve: How has the Lord blessed you to help others? What gifts and talents do you possess that make a difference today?
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Advent
Isaiah’s prophecy proclaims the power and might of God. Among the words of the 1st reading we find:
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing. (Is. 35:3-6)
These are words of hope! In the midst of the challenges of life the Lord comes to strengthen our hearts and renew our lives. Yes, there are difficulties; yet we face them boldly – supported by the grace and power of God.
This hope in God’s power appears in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus cites this passage from Isaiah to the disciples of John the Baptist. Christ is the one who fulfills the words of the prophet; he is the one who comes to save us.
What’s more, those that receive this saving grace – the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven – are greater than all the prophets, including John. In other words, when we accept the power and might of God we are transformed into a new creation as the old bondage of sin and death is destroyed.
May we claim this saving grace today! As we call upon the Lord in our daily prayers, we ask that the power and might of Jesus Christ heals our hearts and strengthens our souls. We have work to do! May God’s grace help us to make it happen.
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Note: This post was first published on December 5, 2016.
