Blog Post 01-13-2025 Homily Cycle C – “The Baptism of the Lord” [01-12-2025].

 

Isaiah [40] reminds us to “Fear Not.” Our Responsorial Psalm highlights the eternal dimensions of today’s feast, “The Lord will bless his people [you and me] with peace.”

We all long for peace.

Jesus is the fulfillment to the ancient longing for a Messiah, a Savior, a King of cosmic proportions. The King, the Messiah bending His knee in the waters of the Jordan to remind us humility is the path to God. 

The Apostles were seeking the Way, the Truth, and the Life - they found their answer in Jesus. Peter teaches the members of Cornelius’ household that God was with Jesus and Jesus wants us to walk with Him on our journey.

Jesus is Baptized to show us we should submit our egos, our wills, and our desires to God’s Will. The GOOD Jesus wants us to seek is not relative to our personal ideas/tastes, BUT it is woven into the fabric of life by God, by God Who is the GOOD. The Holy Spirit guides in the Way, the Truth, & the Life but that does not mean life is a walk in the park “… Christ did not arrive to erase our troubles but to join us in them, to be a quiet light in our darkness….” [Sunday Website, John Foley, SJ 01/03/2021]

 

Christ is THE LIGHT* in the darkness of violence, economic problems, moral decline, death, and all of life’s crosses. Christ is our LIGHT in the bright spots of our lives: a baby born, a new job, a scientific discovery, a recovery, a helping hand, in all of life’s joys. Saint Teresa of Calcutta asked, “Will you collaborate with God so He can use you to do His work here on earth?”

Our Christmas Season ends today, but the work of Christmas begins. Dr. Howard Thurman’s beautiful and powerful words give us insight into how Christmas continues:

“When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flocks,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken hearted,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers [& sisters],

To make music in the heart.”

[Sick, and You cared for Me, Homilies and Reflections Cycle B]

We like the people in Jesus’ time “… are filled with expectation…” and we believe Jesus that You are the one - You will never abandon us.

This year may we remember:

To Adore You!

To Love You!

& To Follow You!

For a few minutes, in silence, reflect on how you will Adore, Love and Follow Jesus [Lord and Savior]?

May God Be Praised. 

 

*You can find Kelly Latimore’s work at https://kellylatimoreicons.com/