Jan
13
Baptism of the Lord (Cycle C)
Isaiah 42: 1–4, 6–7; Acts 10:34–38; Luke 3:15–16, 21–22
The Sacrament of Baptism is one of my favorites at which to preside, and it's one that probably stirs me the most emotionally, even more than weddings, at which I also love to preside. I think part of my love for the Sacrament of Baptism is the sheer gratuitousness, the sheer generosity of it—that God uses these material things to simply wipe our slate clean, to cleanse us from the stain of original sin, and to adopt us as His own children; that He bestows this life saving grace on us in such a simple, mundane act—the act of bathing. So this day is a celebration of Jesus’ baptism, which is the beginning of our baptism.
I’ve preached previously on the significance of this feast day in relation to Christmas and the Epiphany.
The Sacrament of Baptism is one of my favorites at which to preside, and it's one that probably stirs me the most emotionally, even more than weddings, at which I also love to preside. I think part of my love for the Sacrament of Baptism is the sheer gratuitousness, the sheer generosity of it—that God uses these material things to simply wipe our slate clean, to cleanse us from the stain of original sin, and to adopt us as His own children; that He bestows this life saving grace on us in such a simple, mundane act—the act of bathing. So this day is a celebration of Jesus’ baptism, which is the beginning of our baptism.
I’ve preached previously on the significance of this feast day in relation to Christmas and the Epiphany.
