This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Gospels present to us a marvelous scene: Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, and the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father is heard proclaiming, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
In celebrating this feast, we have more than a mere commemoration of a past event. We also have a reminder of our own baptism. When we were baptized, no dove was seen and the voice of God the Father was not heard; but the Holy Spirit did come upon us and we became the beloved children of God. This is the glorious reality of our baptism. “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” (1 Jn. 3:1)
Rejoicing as God’s beloved children, we realize that we are abundantly blessed. Let’s continue to treasure the life of grace that comes to us through the sacraments, and let’s use God’s blessings for his glory and the good of all his children.
Gratefully Yours,
