St. John Nepomucene

Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord

As we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord, we can focus upon New Beginnings.  We have recently celebrated the New Beginning that is Christmas; when God took on human flesh and was born as a baby to save us.  Hopefully, as we close out the Christmas season this weekend, we have embraced this newborn infant who was born to save us.

We possibly have received new gifts.  We are called to look again at the new gift which we received in Baptism.  The Baptism of Our Lord signified a new beginning as well.  He would officially accept his mission as the Suffering Servant.  Baptism for Our Lord would signify how he would die and rise for us.  Going under the waters would be a sign of his death.  Rising from the waters would be a sign of His Resurrection.  By going into the waters of the Jordan, he would sanctify the waters of the river Jordan and all water that would eventually be used in the Sacrament of Baptism so that we too could experience a new beginning as newly adopted sons and daughters of God.  This would also be the new beginning of His public ministry.

When Jesus is baptized, He goes into prayer.  The heavens open.  The Spirit descends in the shape of a dove and a voice is heard, “You are my Beloved Son; with You, I am well pleased.

On the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord may you too go into prayer.  As you recall your own baptisms, May you hear Our Heavenly Father speak to you.  You are my Beloved Son; You are my Beloved Daughter.  You are special, you really are.  Perhaps, we embark on a new path as we experience how deeply we are loved.  We travel by another way like the wise men, rejecting evil, embracing this Savior and embracing the New Way of Life He calls us too.

It is never too late to start over, to embrace a new beginning.  Perhaps, we can hear the words of the Baptist, give in for now, give in to doing things differently.  The Season of Christmas ends but the power of Our Savior’s birth is always there to heal and transform us and to heal and transform our world.

God became small so that we could become great.  Greatness comes by being like him through small acts of kindness towards others.  If a baby was born into your family, this would result in changes for everyone.  Hopefully, this child will be reborn in each of us and changes for the better may occur.

This is a poem on the Work of Christmas:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins.

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers and sisters,

To make music in the heart.

The Season of Christmas officially ends today, but the work of Christmas begins today in you and me.  May we open our hearts to the God who was born for us in the manger so that one day he could be born again in the manger of every human heart.