Sunday Sermon - 1.12.25
LATIN MASS: FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY
EPISTLE: Colossians 3:12 Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience: 13 Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also. 14 But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection: 15 And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one Body: and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God. 17 All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.
Charity is the bond of perfection. Through everything we do, charity is how the Body of Christ remains in communion and unity. Through all of our squabbles and disagreements with various people in our families and parishes, the bond that keeps us together is charity. This is the love that Christ showed to us on the Cross. This is what keeps the Church together even through calamitous storms and degenerate betrayers in our own midst. Charity keeps us united to each other and to Him. This is also why the demons and those who are children of the devil do not have unity or fraternity. All they can muster are coalitions against a common enemy, because they share no charity, no love, between themselves.
GOSPEL: Luke 2:42 And when He was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, 43 And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. 44 And thinking that He was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought Him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. 45 And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers. 48 And seeing Him, they wondered. And His mother said to Him: Son, why hast Thou done so to us? behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. 49 And He said to them: How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know, that I must be about My Father's business? 50 And they understood not the word that He spoke unto them. 51 And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And His mother kept all these words in her heart. 52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men.
The Holy Family is our model of perfection that all families should aspire to. Each member of the Holy Family giving freely of themselves in perfect charity towards each other. No matter what hardships they faced, they were always focused on giving charity of themselves towards one another. God Himself showed and modeled this Himself by being subject to His own creations. Creatures that He Himself had created, He willingly subjected Himself to in perfect love. We must model that as well in our own families even though we are broken and sometimes far from holy.
NOVUS ORDO: THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 42:1 Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching. 5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a Covenant to the people, a light to the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
Centuries before Our Lord was born in Bethlehem, God foretold of the coming of Christ down to earth through the prophets. He tells us that His Messiah would work wonders, but also be gentle with a fallen humanity. He would willingly give Himself up for our redemption so that we could be once again united with God.
NEW TESTAMENT: Acts 10:34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. 36 You know the message He sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
The Trinity is a personal God. Unlike the false gods of the other religions, our God is compassionate and loving towards mankind. He infinitely cares about each one of us. We are not hidden or anonymous to Him. He knows the number of every hair on our head. He knows everything about us and loves us more than we can comprehend. This is why He invites all, not just certain people, to become a part of His family through Baptism. He offers to each of us a Covenant whereby we join into His life. He is a personal God. The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.
ALTERNATE NEW TESTAMENT: Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12 training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He it is who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good deeds.
3:4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Our Lord brings His grace and salvation so that all might be saved. Salvation is offered to everyone through Baptism. For those that have accepted His offer, there are obligations that you must uphold. We must be zealous for doing good deeds, which are the will of the Father. We must show charity and loving kindness, just as we were shown the same by Jesus Christ. The mercy granted to us through Baptism and Confession must also be given out by us to others. We must forgive others as we have ourselves been forgiven. Through this, we have hope of becoming heirs to eternal life. But be warned, this eternal life will be stripped away from us, if we refuse to forgive others, just as Our Lord warns in the parable of the Unforgiving Servant.
GOSPEL: Luke 3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but One who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in His hand, to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His granary; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all by shutting up John in prison.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the Heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from Heaven, “You are My Son, the Beloved; with You I am well pleased.”
The Trinity manifests to mankind in the Baptism of the Lord. The voice of the Father and Holy Spirit descend upon the Son. In and through His Baptism, Our Lord transforms the baptism of repentance that John the Baptist was performing. He transforms it into the sacrament of Baptism whereby mankind is made a part of the life of the Trinity, carries the Name of the Trinity and enters into the New Covenant with God. Always remember the glory of your own Baptism, and if you have not been to Confession within the last month, now is the time to go again. We must always keep our wedding feast garment pure and clean for Our Lord.
Here is also a link to my post about the Rosary: The Baptism of the Lord