Baptism of the Lord

Dear Parishioners:

This Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. We recall how Jesus was baptized by St. John the Baptist in the River Jordan and thus began his public ministry. As Jesus was being baptized by John “the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming upon him. And behold, a voice from the heavens said, ‘this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased’.”(Matt. 3, 16-17)

From that moment the life of Jesus was changed. He began his public ministry and set in motion the beginnings of our faith and church; a simple act done by one who considered himself unworthy. A simple act that carried with it great expectations and hope for the people of that time and continuing into our time for us as well. Jesus didn’t need to be baptized but did so to show us the way and to further manifest God’s unending love for us.

 The day of our baptism marks us as God’s beloved children and changes the direction of our lives just as it did for Jesus. We become in baptism an integral part of God’s family and special partners with him in his ministry. We are no longer left alone but become with all the baptized, very special people loved infinitely by our Lord and Savior. By our baptism we are brought into the Church as full fledge members with all of the rights and obligations imbued in its membership. On this feast of the Baptism of Jesus, we celebrate our belonging and partnership with God and all of the baptized in a very simple and beautiful way.

We aren’t perfect people but we are a people united in and with Christ in a simple act of water and the Spirit being poured over us. We celebrate today new beginnings and new possibilities for those who have faith in God. We celebrate our sharing and loving in Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer.

Blessings, Fr. Andy