By Yeng Abinales
"Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized,
that Jesus also being baptized and praying, heaven was opened; And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove upon him; and a voice came from heaven:
Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."
~ St. Luke 3:21-22
"Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized,
that Jesus also being baptized and praying, heaven was opened; And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove upon him; and a voice came from heaven:
Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."
~ St. Luke 3:21-22
January 13, 2019
Octave of the Epiphany of Our Lord and the
Baptism of Our Jesus Christ
For the Epistle, Gospel, Prayers and the Propers of today's Holy Mass, please click here: Octave of the Epiphany of Our Lord and the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Octave of the Epiphany of Our Lord and the
Baptism of Our Jesus Christ
For the Epistle, Gospel, Prayers and the Propers of today's Holy Mass, please click here: Octave of the Epiphany of Our Lord and the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Celebrations for this week:
January 14, 2019 Monday - St. Hilary, Bishop-Confessor-Doctor
St. Felix, Priest and Martyr
January 15, 2019 Tuesday - St. Paul, First Hermit, Confessor
St. Maurus, Abbot
January 16, 2019 Wednesday - St. Marcellus I, Pope and Martyr
January 17, 2019 Thursday - St. Anthony, Abbot
January 18, 2019 Friday - Day of Abstinence / St. Peter's Chair in Rome
St. Paul, Apostle / St. Prisca, Virgin and Martyr
January 19, 2019 Saturday - Our Lady of Saturday / St. Canute, King and Martyr
St. Marius and Companions, Martyrs
January 20, 2019 Sunday - 2nd Sunday After Epiphany
St. Fabian, Pope and St. Sebastian, Martyrs
January 14, 2019 Monday - St. Hilary, Bishop-Confessor-Doctor
St. Felix, Priest and Martyr
January 15, 2019 Tuesday - St. Paul, First Hermit, Confessor
St. Maurus, Abbot
January 16, 2019 Wednesday - St. Marcellus I, Pope and Martyr
January 17, 2019 Thursday - St. Anthony, Abbot
January 18, 2019 Friday - Day of Abstinence / St. Peter's Chair in Rome
St. Paul, Apostle / St. Prisca, Virgin and Martyr
January 19, 2019 Saturday - Our Lady of Saturday / St. Canute, King and Martyr
St. Marius and Companions, Martyrs
January 20, 2019 Sunday - 2nd Sunday After Epiphany
St. Fabian, Pope and St. Sebastian, Martyrs
Yesterday, Saturday (January 12), we anticipated the Mass of the Feast of the Holy Family and the Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany. If the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, falls on a Sunday, the Mass of the Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany and the Feast of the Holy Family are celebrated on the following Saturday. Pope Benedict XVI ordered that the Feast of the Holy Family should always take place on the Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany.
It is very clear that in this year, the Feast of the Epiphany falls on Sunday. Instead of celebrating today the Mass of the Holy Family and the Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany, we moved it and anticipated it yesterday.
For the Epistle, Gospel, Prayers and the Propers of yesterday's Holy Mass, please click here: Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany and the Feast of the Holy Family.
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It is very clear that in this year, the Feast of the Epiphany falls on Sunday. Instead of celebrating today the Mass of the Holy Family and the Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany, we moved it and anticipated it yesterday.
For the Epistle, Gospel, Prayers and the Propers of yesterday's Holy Mass, please click here: Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany and the Feast of the Holy Family.
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Today’s Feast marks the transition from Jesus’ hidden life to that of His public ministry. It also echoes the theme of the Epiphany in that the Baptism of the Lord is another manifestation announcing Jesus’ divinity to all of His first followers and to the disciples of John the Baptist.
First of all, it needs to be pointed out that Jesus did not need the baptism of John. John was baptizing as a call to and sign of interior repentance. Jesus had no need to repent. But, nonetheless, He comes to John. John resists at first but Jesus insists. Why did He receive baptism?
First, by accepting the baptism of John, Jesus affirms all that John has said and done and affirms his sacred role of preparing the way for Jesus and for a new era of grace. Therefore, the Baptism of Jesus acts as a bridge between the Old Testament prophets (of which John was the last) and the New Testament era of grace and truth.
Second, it has been said that when Jesus entered the waters of baptism, He was not baptized by the waters, rather, His Baptism was one in which all the created waters of this world were, in a sense, “baptized” by Him. By entering into the waters, Jesus sanctified water and poured forth His grace making all water the future source of salvation.
Third, the Baptism of Jesus was an epiphany. It was a moment of manifestation. As He emerged from the waters, “Heaven was opened and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove upon him; and a voice came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.’” This manifestation of the sonship and divinity of Jesus took place in a physical, audible and visible form so that all present would know, without question, that Jesus was the Son of the Father. Thus, His baptism is a way in which the Father introduced His Son and His Son’s mission to the world. (Taken from Catholic Daily Reflections)
First of all, it needs to be pointed out that Jesus did not need the baptism of John. John was baptizing as a call to and sign of interior repentance. Jesus had no need to repent. But, nonetheless, He comes to John. John resists at first but Jesus insists. Why did He receive baptism?
First, by accepting the baptism of John, Jesus affirms all that John has said and done and affirms his sacred role of preparing the way for Jesus and for a new era of grace. Therefore, the Baptism of Jesus acts as a bridge between the Old Testament prophets (of which John was the last) and the New Testament era of grace and truth.
Second, it has been said that when Jesus entered the waters of baptism, He was not baptized by the waters, rather, His Baptism was one in which all the created waters of this world were, in a sense, “baptized” by Him. By entering into the waters, Jesus sanctified water and poured forth His grace making all water the future source of salvation.
Third, the Baptism of Jesus was an epiphany. It was a moment of manifestation. As He emerged from the waters, “Heaven was opened and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove upon him; and a voice came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.’” This manifestation of the sonship and divinity of Jesus took place in a physical, audible and visible form so that all present would know, without question, that Jesus was the Son of the Father. Thus, His baptism is a way in which the Father introduced His Son and His Son’s mission to the world. (Taken from Catholic Daily Reflections)