Happy Friday, Everybody.

This Sunday’s Gospel is the Baptism of the Lord. Let’s make today a little Good Friday by sowing some sacrifice, offering or mortification, in union with Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross, that we might reap a fuller Sunday harvest of Easter Resurrection Joy.

This Sunday's Gospel is Matthew 3:13-17 (from the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and behold, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Theologians use this reading as a biblical reference for the doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity. In it we have the Father speaking to the Son who has the Holy Spirit descending and alighting upon him. Going over the Gospel today, the repetition of the word “behold” jumped out at me. I am frequently reading scripture from the perspective of trying to understand and articulate the significance of the fact that we are embodied creatures. In that light, the “hold” in “behold”, uh, grabs me.

God does not merely want to suggest something to us. Jesus did not need to be baptized because he had nothing for which to repent. He showed us the way. The way out of the bondage of sin and death. In the process the communion of the Triune God was revealed and we are instructed to apprehend that. Grasp that. Maybe even cling to it. As the diabolical always has tried, and continues to try, to tear us apart we are given the adventure of cooperating with God’s will by actively holding on.

Hold on to Faith. Hold on to Hope. Hold on to Love.

A time is coming when we will be able to relax our grip, but not yet!

In a little over an hour I will be livestreaming on youtube at 3 pm EST at:

https://www.youtube.com/live/ZFn9_afhlKU

We can talk about this Gospel, the Catholic view of death, the importance of the body, woodworking, or something that’s on your mind. Please join me!