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January 9, 2022“You are My Beloved Son”The great Solemnity of Christmas that we have just celebrated, brings us the good news that God is
truly here among us. Through the person of His beloved Son, He comes close to us. He has become
part of our human family, and He has entered the world which He entrusts to humanity.
Today’s Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is the first Sunday in Ordinary Time. This feast is the third event of a fourfold manifestation of Jesus Christ. It begins with the announcement to the shepherds of the birth of the Infant Jesus, and it continues with the Epiphany wherein God shows Himself to the world through the eyes of the Wise Men. Now in the Baptism of the Lord, in a special way God again shows His face to us. The fourth revelation takes place at the marriage at Cana.
In today’s Gospel we see the third part of the manifestation being played out. Let’s imagine ourselves on the bank of the River Jordan with other followers who had come to John to be baptized. Out of the crowd gathered there came a Man from Galilee who also sought to be baptized. John protested vigorously that he, John, should not be the one who was baptizing, rather that their roles should be reversed. But Jesus prevailed, and John did as Jesus asked. Then it became evident to all around just who the newly baptized Person actually was.
Luke tells us in his Gospel how God made His presence known: “After...Jesus also had been baptized and was
praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice
came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” (Luke 3:21-22)
God’s way has been to take the human way, to act among us in Christ, through visible signs and audible words as He acts through the humanity of Jesus. He is within the world: through the Holy Eucharist, the Sacraments,
through us, the faithful of the Church. He has given us sanctifying grace, the divine life of our souls.
As we enter into this ‘second movement’ (Ordinary Time) of the great Symphony of Love that is the Church’s
Liturgical Year, we see Christ’s ordinary life, observe His ordinary miracles, and witness His ordinary acts of
mercy. We can share that good news and joy with everyone we encounter by emulating Christ and reaching out to others in these times of so much need and suffering during the pandemic.
Let us continue to pray for one another.
Father Storey
January 2, 2022A Time for R and R
Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ. The word epiphany means showing or manifestation. God wants to show us His face, and on this day He reveals Himself to us – that He is truly the Messiah, the one coming to save.
Each year at the end of the Christmas Season, we read in the Gospel according to St. Matthew the story of the Magi, astrologers from the East, who had observed a rising star and had traveled to Jerusalem to find the newborn King. Known also as the three Wise Men, these men came bearing gifts for the Christ Child: each gift with a spiritual, prophetic meaning.Caspar brought gold, a symbol of kingship on earth. Melchior offered frankincense, a gift suitable for deity. These gifts were foretold by the Prophet (Isaiah 60:6). The gift given by Balthazar, however, was not part of Isaiah’s prophecy. His gift was myrrh, an ointment used in embalming; it was a gift for one who would die.
The three Wise Men had embarked on this Christian journey totally on faith – their only guide a star. They encountered many difficulties on this long trek, including the disappearance of the star. They had to have days of doubt, of frustration, sickness. Days of just wanting to turn away from this journey to which they had been called. Can you imagine how they felt when the star grew dim and disappeared from their sight? At this point, they really needed some R and R: refocusing and recommitment.
We read in Matthew’s Gospel, “After their audience with the king (Herod) they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.” (Matt. 2:9-11)
In these troubling times, we, like the Wise Men sometimes lose sight of the star. Some of us suffer from terminal illness; some of us have lost loved ones; some of us question God. If God is all powerful, why are such bad things happening in the world today? Some of us just want to travel our own way and do our own thing. Some of us are frustrated with God; we feel He has abandoned us.
We, too, need some R and R. No matter how many times we lose focus on Christ, no matter how many times we fail Him, we are called to keep on track... to refocus... to recommit. Following the lead of the Wise Men, we must return to being guided by the star! We too can be overjoyed at its sight.
Just like the Wise Men, we are promised, that by keeping our faith, we too will see the face of Christ.
May God bless all of us!Father Storey