And There Was Morning

Becoming the People of God

First Sunday after the Epiphany / Baptism of the Lord, Year B

Take a deep breath. You made it. We’re officially on the other side of Advent, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. After all the preparation, the complex emotions, and the celebrations in December, the allure of the return of Ordinary Time in January is probably all too real. But don’t put those white paraments or festive altarscapes away quite yet!

Remember your baptism. It isn’t just an empty ritual for Sunday mornings. It is a way of living that keeps our eyes open for the descending doves of the Spirit. It is a choice that we can claim to embrace the possibilities in front of us instead of the doubts within us. It is an opportunity to know that we are loved and claimed and that whatever darkness is hiding away in our past or our hearts need not define us anymore.