+Dear Saint David Parishioners,
It is amazing to me that God the Almighty, sent His Son, Jesus, to become one of us in the form of a little baby. That baby underwent everything that we humans endured, except sin. Today’s feast celebrates the Baptism of the Lord. We know that Jesus had no need to be baptized, since He was sinless, and yet His love for each one of us is so unconditional, that He, the spotless, sacrificial Lamb, would take upon our sins and ultimately save us from the gripping power of the devil through His death and resurrection. How are we able to overcome the temptations the devil throws our way? The truth is – we cannot on our own – but with God’s grace, “all things are possible.”
At our own baptism, we began our grace (God’s life in us) journey. Original sin was washed away, and we joined God’s family the Church. Our own families and educators then continued our faith formation by imparting to us the teachings of the Catholic faith by word and example. As a result of their efforts, we then work to put what we have learned into practice daily.
We are not expected to live our faith alone – no, we are a community of believers living and striving to be witnesses to all those we meet each day. Obviously, we are not professional evangelists, but by giving good examples and sharing our faith by the way we live with our families, friends, and coworkers, others may think to themselves, “See how those Christians love one another.”
As we end the Christmas season today and continue to work on our New Year’s resolutions, perhaps the realistic challenge for 2021 could be, to be all that we know God is calling us to be, that is, more like His Son, Jesus, “with whom He is well pleased.” Each one of us is God’s beloved child, He lives and breathes, and has His being within each of us. He became one of us so that our joy may be complete in Him and in one another, for we are the Body of Christ.
Therefore, on this feast, we hear our heavenly Father who “grasps us by the hand,” speaking tenderly to us individually as He did to His beloved Son,
“ _______ (Your Name), you are My very precious son/daughter, I love you more than you could ever imagine; with you, I am well pleased.”
Happy New Year blessings to you and your loved ones!☺
In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary