Gospel for January 12 2025 – Luke 3: 15-16, 21-22
Gospel Reflections for January 12 2025
I heard a message from God!
I actually didn’t …but does it make you nervous whenever people say that? It should. Today’s Gospel about the Baptism of Jesus offers wise advice, and affirms why He came to John to be Baptized.
Who knows whether any message from God is real? Anyone could just make an outrageous claim and say it’s from God.
Catholics always check objective sources about any divine message to verify authenticity. We know that God never contradicts Himself, so you can always ask if a new message from God agrees with the scriptures and traditions God has already revealed. Does this new message help you better love God, your neighbor, or yourself? Does this message agree with centuries of Church teaching? Finally, and most important, does it make simple common sense?
Every sacrament also has this same kind of public verification. You do not baptize, confirm, or absolve yourself from your own sins! Your faith is not an entirely private event but must be visible, recognizable, and affirmed by others as well.
Jesus affirms this when He humbly presents Himself to John at the Jordan River and requests Baptism.
Our Lord affirms—even over John’s surprise—the goodness of this kind of objective review from another person, and willingly submits with a beautiful spirit of honesty and humility. His Father in heaven instantly votes His approval with a public message of acceptance and love.
All our Sacraments continue this kind of spiritual life review. Confirmation sponsors, wedding witnesses, and priests in confession all assure that others see and affirm your faith, true commitment, or sincere contrition. There is a profound wisdom and good old common sense that Jesus had in setting up these sacraments in this public way. They help encourage the same level of honesty and humility that He had at the Jordan River and ensure for you the same vote of approval from Our Father in Heaven.
You might hear dramatic messages today about what to do from all kinds of sources. Ask the same questions. Does this new message help you better love God, your neighbor or yourself? Finally, and most important, does it make simple common sense?
Our Lord invites you to thoughtfully discern and recognize the authentic and reliable wisdom of God for your life. That is the solid and authentic voice of God we all need today.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Dearest Father Dave, You are a precious gift from our loving God to us!!! Our precious Jesus lives sooooooooooooo beautifully in you and you share our God’s love, our Jesus’ love, our Blessed Mother’s loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee with everyone!!!Dick and I always use your loving saying ‘Does that make sense in so many situations as they relate to our life, to our relationships and situuations and others!!! Beautiful you makes senseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, franca and Dick
Thank you!
Wow! As an escapee from Fire and Sheer Devastation in the Eton Canyon Fire , I am sincerely Thankful that I sutvived, My Home is still there but some damage to my roof requires repair. Thank God
I am filled with Gratitude and Sincere appreciation for dear friends that took me in and gave me a place to stay while being vacated for a week or more.. National Guard permitted entry to take medications and supplies from my home.
Now with Son in Residence till area can be reoccupied. Guys from Tulare guarding my home in Altadena. Protecting it from looters. I shook their hands and thanked them for their Service.
Thanks for all your Ptayers for those that lost everything Fr. Dave and all you that read this,❤️🙏✝️
So glad to hear you, your family, and your home are safe! Yes, you have a lot of wonderful guardians around you, in the National guard, police, and fire fighters, and of course, all of us praying for you!
Dearest Tom, Praying beautifully to our l;oving God and thanking Him that you are well and safe and your home not destroyed! and you had precious friends that took beautiful care of you!!! We need intense prayer that our loving God helps us to end this devastating fire and all to begin renewing their lives with our precious God’s loving help!!! Sooooooooooooooooooooooo happy you are fine and doing well!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,Franca and Dick!!