I have a photograph from the day of my baptism.
My young mother is smiling at the camera. She had a 1980s-style perm and had just graduated high school. Iām sure beneath her lovely smile was a world of worry and uncertainty. She and my father were not on good terms. She did not have a bank account, a place of her own, or a wedding band.
But she had me baptized. In the parish she grew up in, she held me over the same baptismal font I would one day hold my own children. She beamed proudly when the priest poured holy water over my head.
I think often of this day. The day that I became a member of the Body of Christ, freed from sin and clothed with grace. I think of the gift of the Sacraments. I think of the beauty of the Church. I think of my mother and how she allowed me to receive the greatest wealth . . . a life in Christ.
Sister, today's Gospel (Mark 1:7-11) tells us about the Baptism of the Lord. I invite you to reflect on your life as a beloved daughter of God. I encourage you to think about the wealth of the Sacraments. Even in our brokenness, we are given a share in the mission of the Church.
As John said, āI am not worthyā (Mark 1:7). We sin. We stumble. We struggle. However, Christ uses us for the glory of the kingdom anyway. Seek to follow Him. Be led by the Spirit in all that you do. Be holy.
You are His beloved daughter, and He is well pleased.
Seek to follow Him. // Leana Bowler Click to tweet
Listen to this renown scholar on Jesus' Baptism.
Leana Bowler is a wife and mother of five little ones. She is a Holy Rosary enthusiast with deep devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Her love for the message of Divine Mercy led her to become a Marian Missionary of Divine Mercy. She enjoys the miracles of family life, strong coffee, and encountering others on this journey to sainthood. She was a contributing author to And Hay Became Holy and Made New: 52 Devotions for Catholic Women.
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