Archive for January 11, 2025

The Baptism of the LordReflection by Dr Scott Hahn

Posted: January 11, 2025 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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The Baptism of the Lord
Reflection by Dr Scott Hahn

Isaiah 42:1–4, 6–7
Psalm 29:1–4, 9–10
Acts 10:34–38
Luke 3:15–16, 21–22

The Anointing

The Liturgy last week revealed the mystery of God’s plan—that in Jesus all peoples, symbolized by the Magi, have been made “coheirs” to the blessings promised to Israel. This week, we’re shown how we claim our inheritance.

Jesus doesn’t submit to John’s baptism as a sinner in need of purification. He humbles Himself to pass through Jordan’s waters in order to lead a new “exodus”—opening up the promised land of heaven so that all peoples can hear the words pronounced over Jesus today, words once reserved only for Israel and its king: that each of us is a beloved son or daughter of God (see Genesis 22:2; Exodus 4:22; Psalm 2:7).

Jesus is the chosen servant Isaiah prophesies in today’s First Reading, anointed with the Spirit to make things right and just on earth. God puts His Spirit upon Jesus to make Him “a covenant of the people,” the liberator of the captives, the light to the nations. Jesus, today’s Second Reading tells us, is the One long expected in Israel, “anointed… with the Holy Spirit and power.”

The word messiah means “one anointed” with God’s Spirit. King David was “the anointed of the God of Jacob” (see 2 Samuel 23:1–17; Psalm 18:51; 132:10, 17). The prophets taught Israel to await a royal offshoot of David, upon whom the Spirit would rest (see Isaiah 11:1–2; Daniel 9:25).

That’s why the crowds are so anxious at the start of today’s Gospel. But it isn’t John they’re looking for. God confirms with His own voice what the angel earlier told Mary: Jesus is the Son of the Most High, come to claim the throne of David forever (see Luke 1:32–33).

In the Baptism that He brings, the voice of God will hover over the waters as a fiery flame, as we sing in today’s Psalm. He has sanctified the waters, made them a passageway to healing and freedom—a fountain of new birth and everlasting life.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 11, 2025 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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I struggled with today’s first reading where is says, “Anyone who has been begotten by God

does not sin, because the begotten Son of God protects him, and the Evil One does not touch him.”

Was I not begotten by God since I have sinned on numerous occasions? Was I not protected by the Lord our God?

The answer came to me…FREE WILL

So great is His love for us He gave us free will. To choose to love Him and to choose to live in His grace.

If we prayed to Him for help before we gave in to the Sin at hand He would surely have protected us and depending on the situation even send His Holy Angels to fight for us.

As children of God so loved by Him, how have we become smaller, so then He can grow greater in our loves such that joy will be complete. Are our egos still puffed up thinking we are all we need? Do we see ourselves as greater than others? Wiser, stronger, more powerful, more connected, more influential, and for some Holier than everyone else? It is said that the greatest sin is Pride! And for good reason, though many others would argue that the greatest sin to overcome for them is lust. It does not matter! Choosing ourselves, choosing to Sin is what distances us from our loving God! We lose not only our precious relationship with Him but we lost His protection. Only by turning back to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shall we be restored, healed and in full communion with our One triune God.

Blessed Mother intercede for us that we may remain steadfast in the love of Your Son Jesus our Lord. Help us that we may never lose our God. Amen

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First reading

1 John 5:14-21 ·

If we ask for anything, he will hear us

We are quite confident that if we ask the Son of God for anything,

and it is in accordance with his will,

he will hear us;

and, knowing that whatever we may ask, he hears us,

we know that we have already been granted what we asked of him.

If anybody sees his brother commit a sin

that is not a deadly sin,

he has only to pray, and God will give life to the sinner

– not those who commit a deadly sin;

for there is a sin that is death,

and I will not say that you must pray about that.

Every kind of wrong-doing is sin,

but not all sin is deadly.

We know that anyone who has been begotten by God

does not sin,

because the begotten Son of God protects him,

and the Evil One does not touch him.

We know that we belong to God,

but the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.

We know, too, that the Son of God has come,

and has given us the power

to know the true God.

We are in the true God,

as we are in his Son, Jesus Christ.

This is the true God,

this is eternal life.

Children, be on your guard against false gods.

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Gospel

John 3:22-30

‘He must grow greater and I must grow smaller: my joy is complete’

Jesus went with his disciples into the Judaean countryside and stayed with them there and baptised. At the same time John was baptising at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water, and people were going there to be baptised. This was before John had been put in prison.

    Now some of John’s disciples had opened a discussion with a Jew about purification, so they went to John and said, ‘Rabbi, the man who was with you on the far side of the Jordan, the man to whom you bore witness, is baptising now; and everyone is going to him.’

    John replied:

‘A man can lay claim

only to what is given him from heaven.

‘You yourselves can bear me out: I said: I myself am not the Christ; I am the one who has been sent in front of him.

‘The bride is only for the bridegroom;

and yet the bridegroom’s friend,

who stands there and listens,

is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.

This same joy I feel, and now it is complete.

He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.’