Dear Parishioners,
Blessings and Happy New Year
This weekend the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. This brings to an end the season of Christmas.
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord celebrates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. We know that — since Jesus was born without sin — he did not really need to be baptized. And yet, Jesus welcomes his own baptism as an example for the rest of us and as a sign of his true identity. He is God’s son, the living presence of God on earth. When we renew our baptismal promises, we proclaim our belief in the waters of baptism and our new and ongoing life in Christ.
In Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, we see Him anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Christ, we hear the Father proclaim His fundamental identity as the beloved Son, and we perceive Jesus’ mission as one of humility, a self-emptying love and sacrificial identification with everything in us that was lost, broken and dead.
Parents take some time this month to talk to your kids about their own baptism (even if you’ve told the story before!). Talk about who was there, how their godparents were chosen and the celebration after the ritual. What a great time to share that Jesus is with us always, even during these days of the pandemic.
Please take a moment to pray for peace in our country.
God Bless,
Fr. Cyrus
