Homily on 1-9-22

John must have been really surprised when he saw Jesus - the Son of God! - come into the Jordan River to be baptized.  Surely, Jesus was sinless and had no need of such a cleansing, right?!  But the Sacrament of Baptism is more than just washing away sin.  It's the moment in which a light is lit in the newborn Christian, a certain power is instilled in him or her.  That light has a chance to grow as time evolves and the same Christian comes to the Sacrament of Confirmation.  But don't be too quick to judge those who haven't received these Sacraments, because that same power can reside in any person - Jew or Gentile.  God has no partiality, and woe to us if we judge or chastise someone whose light might be a little dimmer than ours.