A Message from Fr. Jay
Dear Friends,
Have you ever experienced the sensation of standing in a running river? The river may look calm on the service but underneath it has an active current. While standing in the river, you may feel unsure about what sort of fish/creatures you may encounter or the possibility of fish nibbling on your legs and feet….this is all a part of a different active experience!
Water is a life-giving element. Water in the Bible has great importance and references in the book of Genesis to the beginning of life. For example, ‘The mighty wind (Holy Spirit) sweeping over the waters’. (Genesis 1-2). Jesus going into the water of Jordan and coming out is another creation story happening again as referred in Genesis as ‘the mighty wind’ sweeping over Jesus. Jesus becoming source of new creation!
The Word made flesh sets forth a new creation! The Baptism of our Lord is a symbol of new creation! The Word (filled with the Holy Spirit) and water together make a new creation. We all participated once in the same experience as babies and possibly have witnessed it by attending the baptism of someone in your family. Let us recall those memories and reflect within ourselves by asking the question, ‘If I was never baptized what and how would I be different today?’
We are all blessed with Baptism and we know God in a closer way. Every time we bless ourselves with the sign of the cross by saying, ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’, we remind ourselves of the Baptism that we were blessed with. Like Jesus, who after receiving Baptism, started his public ministry to serve humanity, we are also called to serve with the authority that we received through baptism.
Today, I would suggest you remember or call your Godchildren or Godparents and say a prayer for them because they, like us, are already in the running river facing so many challenges that lies beneath.
Starting this weekend, we will be reciting a beautiful and very powerful prayer on stewardship before each Mass. This prayer reminds us of our baptismal duties to make ourselves exemplary stewards of God.
On a personal note, as the Christmas season concludes, I will be taking a few days off next week to visit fellow priest friends in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
God Bless,
Fr. Jay Raju
- Reading 1: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
- Reading 2: Acts 10:34-38
- Gospel: Matthew 3: 13-17
