"By his incarnation, the Son of God tells us that salvation comes through love, acceptance, respect for this poor humanity of ours, which we all share in a great variety of races, languages, and cultures. Yet all of us are brothers and sisters in humanity!"         Pope Francis, Christmas message December 25, 2018

      The Baptism of the Lord, which we celebrate today, stands on the boundary of the Christmas liturgical season and the relatively short winter portion of Ordinary Time. This feast does not belong to either – it is really a part of both. Incarnation, God among us, and the mission of those who are baptized both come together in this incredible show of God’s powerful presence. Ordinary Time is meant to help us unpack the two important liturgical seasons, so we will do that over the next few weeks. Did Advent give you the guidance and inspiration to prepare your heart for Christmas? And was your Christmas to Epiphany season a wonderful celebration of the light and love of Christ our Savior coming into the world?

       The Old Testament reading (Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11) tells of the presence of God in the midst of the people. God brings comfort and God’s word is “tender.” God also has a “strong arm.” Verse 11 sums it up well: “Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.” God’s presence is one of love and tenderness.

       Jesus’ public ministry in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) begins with his baptism by John the Baptist. It is an affirmation that Jesus is the one who was to come, the one for whom John had been calling everyone to repentance. The Gospel today (Luke 3:15-16, 21-22) is Luke’s account of this remarkable event. The story is a reminder that God is already and always present. God is in our midst. We may not be aware of it directly, or experience it in such a powerful way as the people standing there that day did, but our faith tells us that God is there ALWAYS!

       The first line gets our attention: “The people were filled with expectation.” People were following John and were committed to his mission as disciples are. In their hearts, they were beginning to wonder if he was the one to come. We, too, might have found someone we like to follow. But, John was able to recognize that he himself was NOT the one, and he assured everyone that the one to come was “mightier” and was the one to prepare for and follow. Those in Christian leadership or their followers need to consider John’s example as a measure of ministry. Jesus has to be the reason for everything that is said and done. Even if people begin to recognize someone and their leadership, they must always defer to Christ as the source. Authentic Christian ministry is primarily about caring for others: the poor, the outcast, and those most in need of love and mercy. And we need to serve them with the utmost of compassion, forgiveness, and mercy. Our baptism gave us all the grace we need. As St. Teresa of Calcutta said in her book A Simple Path: “Do not worry about why problems exist in the world – just respond to people’s needs” (p. 114).