Today as we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist, we call to mind the transforming power of discipleship. As we struggle to faithfully follow Jesus in our lives, our lives are transformed by the very struggle to be the presence of Christ in the world. Think for a moment about the baptismal ritual itself: first the calling out of the name in the midst of the assembly for all to hear…the sign of the cross traced on a forehead, a profession of faith, holy water poured and the sacred words are uttered…“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of Son and of the Holy Spirit”…then an anointing with sacred oil…the passing of the “Light of Christ” and a white garment, symbol of a new life born of this ancient ritual.
But with this new life comes great responsibility…to live a life as a Christian…as a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is no easy task; to be a follower of Jesus Christ and live our baptism in concrete ways in our everyday lives. Our baptism calls us to put Christ at the center of our lives and to try and be a healing presence in a wounded world, by doing good works, being compassionate, and actively working for justice and peace in the world around us that is at war in so many ways. We are called to be healers of the wounds of divisions that separate us and cause us to be blind to the fact that we are all sisters and brothers, all of us, the children of God.
Is it outwardly evident that I am a disciple of Jesus by the way I live my life? What could I do in my life to follow Jesus even more closely than I already do to better live my call to discipleship received in my baptism?
God's Blessing,
Fr Tim
But with this new life comes great responsibility…to live a life as a Christian…as a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is no easy task; to be a follower of Jesus Christ and live our baptism in concrete ways in our everyday lives. Our baptism calls us to put Christ at the center of our lives and to try and be a healing presence in a wounded world, by doing good works, being compassionate, and actively working for justice and peace in the world around us that is at war in so many ways. We are called to be healers of the wounds of divisions that separate us and cause us to be blind to the fact that we are all sisters and brothers, all of us, the children of God.
Is it outwardly evident that I am a disciple of Jesus by the way I live my life? What could I do in my life to follow Jesus even more closely than I already do to better live my call to discipleship received in my baptism?
God's Blessing,
Fr Tim
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