Scripture Reflections for the Baptism of the Lord
Year C, Lectionary 21
Are we expecting Christ in our hearts? Are we willing to follow him through the baptismal water? In doing so we join unto Jesus' body and mission of bringing God's kingdom into the world. We take on God's calling of being beloved children.
Hate feeling lost on Sundays at church? Searching for a better explanation of the Bible than what you hear from your pastor's sermon? Check out the following collection of audio, video, and text commentaries from various Christian experts for a better understanding of today's scripture that deal with: Accompany • Baptism • Change • Child • Creation • Cross • Doubt • Exodus • Expectation • Faith • Follow • Grace • Guide • Healing • Heaven • Holy Spirit • Identity • Incarnation • John the Baptist • Love • Miracle • Mission • Plan • Praise • Prayer • Priest • Prophet • Reflect • Revelation • Sheep • Sin • Trust • Understand • Vocation • Women •
“According to Acts, in Acts chapter 9, Paul's still persecuting the Church. In Acts chapter 10, it's Peter who first opens the door of salvation through baptism to the Gentiles.”
“As we reflect on our own baptism we reflect on our identity in Christ and what is expected of us based on that identity”
“There is a spirit hovering over you even if it doesn't take the form of a dove, that spirit is saying 'your God has got you, your God sustains you, your God has anointed you, your God has chosen you and in you God is well pleased'”
“We can feel God's arms wrapping us up simply by choosing to feel it. And how do we choose to do that? Same way that Jesus would have done here, through prayer.”
“So as you go about your life, your tasks, your responsibilities, let yourself doubt...and be confident that God accompanies you in mercy and love in everything you do. And then let yourself stay true to your vocation, whatever it is.”
“Jesus wants to lie with us in our sick bed. That's why he came. Jesus loves us so much that he presses up against us and is unconcerned about the contagion that we might have.”
“Jesus is the son of God by nature but we become the children of God by adoption at our baptism”
“To what advantage have we put to use the graces we received on that holy day of our baptism?”
“In being baptised we say, 'My old way of life is now dead and buried.' In the waters of baptism we are reborn to a new way of life through the death and resurrection of Christ.”
“in verse 4 when it says 'the coastlands wait for his law,' the coastlands is always an image in the Old Testament for the Gentile peoples”
“Jesus is baptized not because he needs to repent from sin but to show us the pattern of mission, to show us how we're called to live in this Christian life, to show us what it means to walk in the light of Jesus”
“The essence of baptism is exactly that, to make us aware that we are beloved sons and daughters of God. And when we truly believe this, when we live from this deepest truth, everything changes in life.”
