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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The words of John the Baptist serve as a reminder for all of us to let Jesus Christ take greater and greater control of our hearts.
Mass Readings – Saturday after Epiphany
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The Lord reveals his compassion for the leper who begs to be healed in the Gospel today. May we trust in Christ’s merciful will for us in our need as we draw near to the one who longs for us to be made whole.
Mass Readings – Friday after Epiphany
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Photo Credit: Son of God, 2014.
As Jesus proclaims the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah in his hometown of Nazareth, we are reminded that through Christ we have the same Spirit in our hearts. Our task: to live it!
Mass Readings – Thursday after Epiphany
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The Lord’s words to the disciples speak to us as well: “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” As we face the challenges of life may we look to Jesus for the grace we need to carry on.
Mass Readings – Wednesday after Epiphany
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The Lord takes pity on the crowd and he nourishes them through teaching, compassion and food. Following his example, we are called to do the same as we help our brothers and sisters by building them up…body and soul.
Mass Readings – Tuesday after Epiphany
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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:
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.
