***
Gospel: Luke 3:15 – 22
The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
***
***
Take a deep breath and close your eyes if you wish.
Imagine you’re standing in the middle of a river.
You know this river has a beginning and an end, but you’re at neither place; you’re standing knee-deep, somewhere in between.
Listen to the water trickle, feel it brushing against you, watch it flow peacefully downstream. If you follow the current, then you’ll notice a series of twists and turns along the river’s path.
In spite of these twists and turns, the rocks, and the brush, the river finds the energy to flow forward, never stopping until it reaches its final destination.
***
If your eyes are closed, now open them.
***
Perhaps this image of a river is an appropriate image for our own lives. Like that river, you and I are neither at the beginning nor the end; we’re standing somewhere in between.
And in spite of the obstacles we face – the twists, the turns, the rocks, the brush – we, too, must find the energy to move forward.
What are the rocks in my river, the obstacles in my path?
***
It could be anything from stress, to anxiety, loneliness, grief, a particular temptation or habit, or uncertainty about the future.
When I brush up against these rocks – when life is difficult – how do I cope? Or who do I turn to?
***
Perhaps we hold everything in and we rely upon ourselves. May we turn to a self-help book or to a friend.
Do we also turn to God?
***
In today’s Gospel, Jesus has reached the most important turn in the river of his life.
He’s thirty years old. Ninety-percent of his life has already been written. His baptism by John in the Jordan River marks the beginning of his public ministry – and, by extension, the final three years of his life.
In order to successfully navigate the remaining twists and turns ahead, Jesus must turn to his heavenly Father for guidance.
As the Gospels describe, after being plunged into the Jordan, Jesus emerges – and prays. Suddenly, the heavens are opened, the Spirit descends in the form of a dove, and his Father says, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Here Jesus teaches us an important lesson: whenever we begin doing the work of God, we must pray.
So, we find Jesus praying after his baptism; before he elects his disciples; while he is transfigured before them; before he is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane; and even while he’s dying on the cross.
At every turn in his life, Jesus prayed.
***
What is my prayer life like?
Is it strong and deep like a river? Shallower like a stream? Or, dried up like a creek in the sun?
***
I’ve found each day I spend in prayer like a drop of water; it seems insignificant at the time. The heavens aren’t visibly opened as they were for Jesus; I don’t see the Spirit descend like a dove; I don’t audibly hear the voice of God.
But, over time, those daily drops of water create an ocean – and that makes all the difference.
It’s partly why we greet – and pray for – one another at Mass. Every Sunday is like another drop of water, saturating our souls with grace.
***
Perhaps it’s appropriate, then, to conclude with a prayer.
I invite you to take another deep breath and to close your eyes.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning seeking your strength, wisdom, and peace in 2022. The river of our lives is often filled with obstacles – brush, twigs, and rocks – that obscure our path. Soften our hearts to your will. Guide us through the many twists and turns that lie ahead, just as you guided your Son, Jesus, so that one day we may join Him and all who’ve flowed before us into your kingdom, where you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
***
***
Image credits: (1) The Irish Times (2) ArtMajeur.com (3) The Irish Times
