Signs and Wonders

In this week’s Sunday Gospel, we see how Jesus was immersed in His Father’s affirming love by the words spoken from heaven following his baptism in the Jordan “You are my Son, the beloved.”

The Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit signified by the dove, were present at this event.

What does this mean for Christians?  Christians are resident aliens in this world. We are the children of God, brothers of Jesus imbued with the Holy Spirit. At baptism we become members of God’s family the Church and are commissioned to play our part in transforming the world.

Our family characteristics can be summed up in the Fruits of the Spirit in St Paul’s letter to the Galatians 5.22 – 23. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.  

These fruits are transformative and run counter to war, greed, indifference to the plight of others and such qualities  challenge the world to find a new way as we face climate change with the threat it poses to our God given home – planet earth.

Jesus emerges from his baptism as the light of the world which the Church has just celebrated in the feast of the Epiphany and as brothers and sisters of Christ and members of the family of God we can reflect this light which has the power to put an end to darkness and give new hope.  

When Christians make the sign of the cross we can recall the baptism of Jesus and the greatest act of love ever which opens for us the way to eternity.