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Gospel Reading for January 12, 2025 – Luke 3: 15-16, 21-22
WELL PLEASED
The Baptism of the Lord
The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
After all the people had been baptized and 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.”
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“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Who will not be WELL PLEASED when the Messiah himself who does not need the baptism of repentance that John was doing to the people, asked John to baptize him?
God will always be well pleased with us if we take on the attitude of Jesus. As aptly described in Philippians 2: 6-11 – “. . . though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
On this last day of the Christmas Season in the Catholic Church, let us not forget why there is Christmas: Jesus’ birth united God and Man, giving us the very precious gift of salvation, of being reunited with our Creator forever in lasting happiness and peace. And, the key to being saved is to humbly accept that WE ARE IN NEED OF GOD FOR EVERYTHING!
Jesus Christ, we confess that you are our Lord for eternity!
