9th January 2022 – The Baptism of The Lord
This weekend we keep the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which marks the end of the liturgical season of Christmas. But what is this moment of Jesus being baptised by John in the river Jordan really all about?
The Baptism of Jesus is part of His epiphany when He comes out of obscurity into the spotlight. Before His Baptism, Jesus was largely unknown. Then He came one day to the banks of the Jordan River to be baptised by John. John announced Him as the Messiah. John’s Baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus had no need of that, of course, but the people gathered with him that day did. At His baptism Jesus took upon Himself all our burdens and sins and many human failures. His baptism is a symbol of what His work on earth is all about. At His baptism Jesus showed solidarity with all of us who need healing, mercy, and forgiveness. He became like us, in all things except sin, so we could become like Him. Jesus’ Baptism was the beginning of His public ministry as he identifies Himself with all of humanity. Jesus’ Baptism at the Jordan was not a private moment of revelation and blessing but a public commissioning to his important work of redemption.
Today as we remember the baptism of Jesus, His public embrace of His mission from the Father, and his solidarity with each of us let us also recall our own baptism too, when the Holy Spirit descended upon us, and we were commissioned to do God’s healing work. Let us recommit ourselves to our own baptismal call, however long ago our baptism might have been! That call is still there, indelible, irrevocable, unerasable and irreversible. In the sight of God, it remains the deepest truth of our lives. If that mission of our baptism has lain dormant, this year is a good time to bring it back to life. It is always there, ready to spring back to life we just must allow God’s grace to work in us and through us and seek the ways that we can be His modern-day disciples in the world in which we live. Whatever else may come and go in our lives, the commission to do the work of Christ lasts as long as we do! May our resolution for this coming year be that we may become alive and active in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, bearers of his loving mercy and truth to all whom we meet each and every day, and in every situation of our daily lives.
A reminder that from Tuesday 18th January we begin the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, which lasts until 25th January. On Sunday 23rd January, Churches Together in Grantham are planning a special service to be held at Harrowby Lane Methodist church at 6.30 pm. I hope to be there myself and it would be good if as many from our parish community as possible can join me there that evening, as we pray together with our brothers and sisters in Christ from the other Christian denominations in our town.
On Saturday 22nd January at 11 am, at a special Mass celebrated by me, our First Holy Communion candidates will receive their First Holy Communion. Please keep them and their families and our parish catechists in your prayers at this time, as they prepare for this important step in their journey of faith.
With prayer and best wishes,
Your Parish Priest and friend,
Fr Jonathan
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IMPORTANT Newsletters – Our Parish Newsletters are available to be viewed and downloaded from our Parish website.
The online version will not include the Sunday Message
The Sunday Message and Newsletter will be available to download but this will be password protected – the password can be obtained from the Parish.
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2022 9th January – Newsletter – Download
2022 9th January – Newsletter (Including Sunday Message – Password Protected)– Download
2022 9th January – LOOK – (Password Protected)– Download