For most of us, the Christmas tree is on the curb, the garland is gone and the stockings are no longer hung by the chimney with care. In many cases, the only part of Christmas we still have with us is the extra weight we carry from all the treats we ate over the last few weeks!
This weekend, however, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, which actually brings to a close the Christmas season. But the celebration this weekend does more than just mark the end of our Christmas season. In fact, it is meant to remind us that Christmas is not so much a season as a way of life.
In the Gospel today, we are reminded that God sent his Son to walk with us, to live with us, to connect with us in a deeply personal way. Jesus’ presence in our lives reminds us that God is not “out there, up there” in some faraway place. Rather, God wanted to remind us that he dwells in each one of us. This is the message of Christmas that we need to carry with us throughout the year.
That same message is the point of the second reading today from Paul’s letter to Titus. Paul is reminding his good friend Titus, and all of us, that Jesus came for only one reason – God’s great love for us, not because we had earned it or deserved it, but because of God’s mercy. Paul reminds us that through our own Baptism we are reborn and renewed by the gift of the Spirit in our lives.
Finally, the first reading reminds us that God’s presence in our life is meant to bring comfort, comfort to God’s people. God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, tells us that if we are faithful to Him, He will guide us through the challenges in our lives on a smooth and gentle path. A key part of this message is that God is not promising that we won’t face challenges, difficult times or loss. Rather, the prophet tells that God will lead us through those times and will pay us back double for our faithfulness.
The key for each of us is to make sure that we carry that spirit of Christmas with us throughout the year and to make sure that we carry it in our hearts, and not just in our waistlines!
Deacon Randy Haak
Deacon Randy Haak
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