With this Sunday’s celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Church brings the Christmas Season to a close and transitions to a period of Ordinary Time. Baptism marks a new beginning… a rebirth. For Jesus, this marks the beginning of his ministry, and serves as an excellent transition from the infancy narratives to the story of his life and ministry. So this week we begin a new journey… The Word for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 Acts 10:34-38 Matthew 3:13-17 Our first reading, from the Isaiah, tells us about “the servant of the Lord”… in this case, the prophet chosen by God to save Israel. This prophecy comes from the section of Isaiah that predicts the coming glory for Israel. That not only will he raise it up in gleaming splendor, but through is servant, make it a beacon, a shining example to all the other nations. No small task given that Israel, at this time, is still living...
Comments on our weekly readings for Sunday Mass and other topics of interest for those who are going through the initiation process or want to learn more about the Catholic Faith