The Baptism of The Lord

Dear Parishioners,

    A theological question that is interesting to think about is the question of when the church began.  Some would say that the church started when Jesus was born.  Others would say that the church began at Pentecost.  But we could make an argument that the church began when Jesus was baptized.  Because on that day, he started his public life.

    Before the Baptism of Jesus, we can only speculate what his life was like.  Often this time period is referred to as the hidden life of Jesus.  What was Jesus like as a teenager and young adult?  The life of the average age that a person lived in Jesus’ time was 40 years. 

This means that the ministry of Jesus began when he was in middle age.  What experiences formed him we might ask. How did he handle being a teenager? What was his education like?  How far from home did he travel?  The questions are endless.

At the moment of Jesus’ baptism, he had come to some understanding of what his mission was in life.  He had prepared himself.  He had discerned.  He then chose to act decisively.  His choice was to remain in obscurity or to step out in faith. 

Jesus’ life is not something that we just admire. He is a role model.  What do we need to step out and do in 2020?  This is always a great time to ponder that question.  Have we done all that we can do with the life we have been given?  If not, perhaps it is time to make a leap of faith.

Merry Christmas,

Fr. Mark