January 11, 2015 – The Baptism of the Lord
Is 42: 1-4, 6-7; Ps 29: 1-4, 9-10; Acts 10: 34-38; Mk 1: 7-11
The Holy Trinity is one of those mysteries of our faith which is almost impossible for us to perceive and comprehend. Yet it is presented to us in today’s Gospel all at once: The Son, Jesus, is baptized; the Holy Spirit descends upon Him; and God proclaims, “You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (#253) states, “The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons, the ‘consubstantial Trinity.’ The divine persons do not share one divinity among themselves but each of them is God whole and entire.” Each time we make the Sign of the Cross we reinforce our belief in the Trinity, and each time we make that sign we should think of the beauty of that concept. “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit… now and forever.”
As we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord and an appreciation of the Holy Trinity, we need to supplement that with our appreciation of two facets of our faith — prayer and liturgy. St. Therese of Lisieux called prayer “a surge of the heart.” Stewardship, of course, involves a conversion of the heart. Each of must strive for that conversion, and it is most easily accomplished through prayer and liturgy.
