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Catholic Charities USA



(Editor's Note: CCUSA will be sharing daily reflections on Sundays and
Solemnities between Christmas and Lent)

The Baptism of the Lord

Readings of the Day 
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In today's first reading, the Lord speaks of Jesus as his
servant who is about to begin something wonderful - his public
life.  He's going to bring justice to the world, be a light
for the nations, open the eyes of the blind, and free prisoners. 
God is keeping his promise through Jesus' mission on earth.

In the early days of his public ministry, when Jesus presented himself
on the bank of the river Jordan, John the Baptist couldn't
believe it.  He had noted that there was one soon to be coming
who would baptize with the Holy Spirit, and now they were standing
face to face.  By asking John to baptize him, Jesus sanctified
the waters of baptism, giving us a public sign of how to embrace our
faith.  Today, we celebrate that great gift.

In many ways, Jesus' baptism was a sign that it was time to get
to work.  He spent his life reaching out to those in need,
healing the sick, feeding the hungry, shepherding the lost and
lonely.  And he built up his team, calling the first disciples
with a simple invitation - "Follow me." 

Let's remember the day we were baptized - the day Jesus
grasped our hand, healing us from the Devil's oppression,
calling us into an intimate relationship with Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit, calling us to live in a way that brings God's love into
the world.  Our baptism is not a thing of the past; it's a
living reality.  The call for us to follow is the same as it was
for the first disciples.  I went to a mission once where the
presenter challenged us to "stay in the water," living up
to the high ideals of our faith.

The work of Catholic Charities does just that: it carries on the
Christ's public ministry.  We welcome the stranger, we feed
the hungry, we shelter the homeless, we accompany the poor and the
lonely.  We stand up against injustice.  And we call others
of good will to join us in this important work.  Pope Francis
sums it up quite well, "Catholic Charities is the engine of the
Church that organizes love - Caritas - for all believers
to work together to respond."  What a blessing it is to be
part of that effort.  What a responsibility in that we know how
much more is left to do.

But even in the most challenging times, let's remember
we're not walking alone.  As we serve and live "in
Christ," the Holy Spirit accompanies and encourages us:
"You are baptized in the faith, you are beloved sons and
daughters of God, in you, the Father is well pleased."  In
the big picture, that's all that matters.

Deacon Scott Haner serves the Catholic Community of St. Patrick,
Louisville, KY, and is a board member of Catholic Charities
Louisville.

 



Catholic Charities USA

2050 Ballenger Avenue
Suite 400
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
703-549-1390

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