Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Gospel: Mark 1:14-20 Repent and Follow Jesus
Today, Jesus came to Galilee to proclaim the Gospel of God. The Gospel He proclaimed was not the same as that proclaimed by the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, the scribes of the people, and their leaders. The Gospel He proclaimed was the Gospel of love. He wanted to show everyone that the God He proclaimed is a God who actively reaches out to people, who loves people, and who even gave Himself up for the sake of the world.
The Evangelist Mark tells us that today, Jesus called Simon and his brother Andrew, as well as James, the son of Zebedee, and John. He invited them to become His first disciples. Simon, Andrew, James, and John were called by the Lord while they were engaged in their respective work. They did not cling to what they had at that moment, nor did they worry excessively about their families. Instead, they chose to take the risk and follow Jesus, choosing the new path that Jesus pointed out to them. In doing so, they set an example for us.
Dear brothers and sisters! God often calls us through all the experiences we go through in life, enabling us to discover the plan that God has begun in us. Therefore, today, let us follow the example of Simon, Andrew, James, and John. In our daily lives, through prayer, let us discern the work that God has begun in us, courageously abandon everything of our own, and cling closely to Christ, walking toward eternal life.
Saint Simon, Saint Andrew, Saint James, Saint John, pray for us. Amen.
The Third Sunday after Christmas: The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17 The Word of God Who Received Baptism
Today, as Jesus came from the Jordan River to receive the baptism of St. John the Baptist, St. John attempted to prevent Him. For John recognized Jesus Christ as the Lord and Creator of the universe and all creation. Thus, upon seeing Jesus approach him to be baptized at his hands, he immediately told Jesus that it was he who needed to be baptized by Christ, not the other way around.
The merciful Lord Christ, though He existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. Instead, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant and being made in human likeness (Philippians 2:6-7). Jesus appeared among humanity in a form similar to ours, and with His sacred Body, He sanctified the waters—which are themselves creatures—bringing eternal salvation to the world. The very waters we use in receiving Christ’s Holy Baptism were thus consecrated by Him at the Jordan River. When we receive the sacrament of Holy Baptism, we are washed clean of original sin in the water associated with His passion; we die with Christ, are buried with Him, and are united with Him. In this way, we may begin a new life in the risen Lord at His glorious Resurrection.
Today, the Holy Spirit, who appears before the eyes of the world, does not choose to manifest in the powerful image of fiery tongues as on Pentecost Sunday. Instead, He chooses the form of a dove. This is to tell us that the Holy Trinity is not the harsh God described by the Pharisees, nor is it the God loved by the Sadducees, who preferred material offerings to a humble and contrite heart. Rather, He is a God who loves humanity more than Himself, a God who actively seeks communion with humanity, a God who embraces both those who observe His Law and all those who have sinned against Him.
On this Third Sunday after Christmas, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, let us deeply remember the profession of faith we made when receiving the sacraments of Christian initiation. Let us remain faithful to the Word of God and worthily accomplish the mission entrusted to us by God. Amen.
Saturday after the Epiphany Gospel: John 3:22 – 30 He Must Increase, I Must Decrease
We may often ponder such a question: Jesus and His precursor John were both baptizing the crowds. Whose baptism was more spiritually beneficial? From a liturgical perspective, the water used in baptism is meant to bring new life and, more importantly, purification. Thus, the water itself does not produce any actual effect.
If we read the Gospel carefully, we will find that when St. Luke spoke of the baptism administered by St. John the Baptist, he recorded: “John came throughout the region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”(cf. Lk 3:3) When John spoke of Christ, he testified thus: “I baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and water.”(cf. Lk 3:16) From this we can see that John’s baptism was merely an expression of our renunciation of our own sins. When we receive the Sacrament of Baptism from Christ through the hands of a priest, we are once and for all cleansed of original sin by the blood and water that flowed from Christ’s Sacred Side. When we receive the Holy Spirit of Christ, this Divine Spirit infuses His Word into our hearts, enabling us to live in the infinite love of God.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! Since we have been united with Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism and have become children of God by receiving the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, we must imitate the humility of St. John the Baptist, the meekness of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the holiness of the Holy Spirit. We must put God and the spread of the Gospel first in all things, and with a completely renewed attitude of life, fully assist Christ and His Church in proclaiming the Word of God to this changing world. May all peoples of the earth, by receiving the Word of God, no longer live in bondage but always dwell in the grace of God.
您必须登录才能发表评论。