SOLEMNITY OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

With the celebration of the feast, The Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord, the Christmas Season officially comes to an end.

We prayerfully opened the Christmas Season, celebrating the Vigil of Christmas, and joyfully singing:

Come O Lord! Come to every heart

And waken all who sleep to your joy!

O Emmanuel come to our hearts

We welcome all the joy Your Christmas brings

And we would be your presence in the world!

Throughout the Christmas Season, we journeyed with the Infant Jesus, Mary His Mother, with Joseph, His foster father, and the Magi. Each feast gifted us with profound opportunities to embrace our Christian life.  With this culminating feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we are challenged to renew our personal faith commitment as a Christian. The Gospel story for today’s feast confirms the Mystery of the Incarnation, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased!” Christ came to us to show us the way to His Father. Our Baptism is rooted in Christ. Baptism joins us to Christ and His Church, and with all the baptized, we are called to share in Jesus’ ministry. Let us remind ourselves how we embrace this ministry by recalling the words Jesus gave to us:

I was hungry, and you fed me

I was thirsty and you gave me drink

I was a stranger and you welcomed me into your house

I was naked and you clothed me

I was sick and you visited me

I was in prison and you came to visit me

We remember, we celebrate, we believe. For when we do these things for the very least, we do it for Emmanuel, the Christ, the One who came to show us the way. And we become Christ’s presence in the world.

Naomi Rosenberger, OSB