Sunday - January 12, 2020
"The
religion established by the sacrament of the Cross of Christ cannot be
destroyed by any kind of cruelty."
--Pope
St. Leo the Great
TODAY'S READINGS
January 12 2020
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Lectionary: 21
Reading 1IS 42:1-4, 6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
Responsorial PsalmPS 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Reading 2 ACTS 10:34-38
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”
Alleluia MK 9:7
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 3:13-17
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
******************************
Baptized into Ministry
Today we celebrate the "initiation rite" that launched Jesus' public ministry. We, too, have experienced this same Baptism: Our first Sacrament of Initiation immersed us into the life of Christ. The other two Initiation Sacraments -- Confirmation and Communion -- confirm this holy life and empower us to live it in union with Christ. Thus says the Lord God about you: "Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my Spirit...." (see the reading from Isaiah).
What is this Spirit doing in you that is pleasing to the Father? How is this Spirit serving the kingdom of God through you? Are you giving this Spirit the freedom to continue Christ's ministry in today's world?
All Christians have been baptized into the ministry of Christ, but it's the hardships we endure and the passions we feel that initiate us into our own particular areas of ministry. For example, children of chronically or terminally ill parents often grow up to become doctors and nurses, and many who escape and recover from abuses often become ministers of healing for other victims, and workers who suffer from unjust employers often start their own businesses and create jobs where the staff is treated the way Christ should be treated.
Whatever we feel passionate about, we have received this energy from the Passion of Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism.
Then, if we celebrate Mass consciously, paying attention to the true meaning of the Eucharist, our calling to ministry is renewed in the Sacrament of Communion, because Christ who is the Eucharist reunites us to his ministry. Thus, we can change the world, just as Christ did, one day at a time.
For this, you have been chosen by the Father. Whatever you are doing because of this calling, our Father is very pleased with you!
Today's Prayer:
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for revealing to us our Father's love when we are obedient and humble. Amen.
What is this Spirit doing in you that is pleasing to the Father? How is this Spirit serving the kingdom of God through you? Are you giving this Spirit the freedom to continue Christ's ministry in today's world?
All Christians have been baptized into the ministry of Christ, but it's the hardships we endure and the passions we feel that initiate us into our own particular areas of ministry. For example, children of chronically or terminally ill parents often grow up to become doctors and nurses, and many who escape and recover from abuses often become ministers of healing for other victims, and workers who suffer from unjust employers often start their own businesses and create jobs where the staff is treated the way Christ should be treated.
Whatever we feel passionate about, we have received this energy from the Passion of Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism.
Then, if we celebrate Mass consciously, paying attention to the true meaning of the Eucharist, our calling to ministry is renewed in the Sacrament of Communion, because Christ who is the Eucharist reunites us to his ministry. Thus, we can change the world, just as Christ did, one day at a time.
For this, you have been chosen by the Father. Whatever you are doing because of this calling, our Father is very pleased with you!
Today's Prayer:
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for revealing to us our Father's love when we are obedient and humble. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day
through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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