My friends, as I said in this week’s bulletin, our celebration of Mass today brings us almost abruptly into the adult life of our brother Jesus. We have indeed come far from “the crib” where I invited you to stay during the 12 days of Christmas, now past. Jesus is basically at the cusp of his long-awaited ministry among the people, some of which he no doubt knew, and among many others that he did not know.

At this juncture in our journey through yet another Church Year, it is, as always, so important that we read the chosen Scriptures, for the surface meaning yes, but more importantly, for the depth of meaning contained there too. And thus, it will be important for us to especially attempt to get into the heart, mind and soul of our brother Jesus—what was indeed going on for him as he found himself at the pinnacle of his call from his God, to in many ways, as the prophet Isaiah says in the 1st reading, [be] “a light to the nations.”
If we recall in our own lives those special times when we were about to begin something new that we had long prepared for, and looked forward to, and finally got to the point of doing, then ask yourself, how that felt—what were the emotions that you were experiencing? When you said “yes” to marriage, started your first professional job, stood alone on a matter of conscience, and so on.

No doubt there was great joy, and anticipation as you prepared to take on a life commitment with a special someone, or begin a new job, but also there may have been some hidden anxiety—will this go as I hope? When we think of our brother Jesus, who we believe to have been in some special way, both completely human and divine, there had to have been joy, anticipation—wonder, and yes, a bit of anxiety.

And I believe our good and loving God understood this “bit” of humanity that the “beloved one” was experiencing, and thus upon Jesus’ coming “up out of the water” of baptism, spoke through the Spirit, a dove we are told, words of confirmation, and affirmation, that surely gave him the strength to not only go on, but to flourish in his God-given ministry—“You are my Own, my Beloved, on you my favor rests.” Other Scriptural translations are even more familiar, [in you] “I am well-pleased.” For us humans, being “affirmed” in what we are attempting to do is incredibly important—as I said above, it gives us the strength to persevere, and to do our best.

Several Sundays back, we saw our sister and mother Mary, “go in haste,” to in part affirm and assist Elizabeth in her new “status,” and as a result, received the confirmation to believe that what she knew, on one level, “had happened to her,” was indeed “of God,” and to be trusted—“Who am I that the mother of my God should visit me?”

This human need that we mortals seem to have at times, for confirmation of the “rightness” of what we are doing reminds me of when I was in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) to become a chaplain. From time to time, we “novice chaplains” would ask our supervisors how we would actually know that we were in fact doing the right thing in pursuing chaplaincy. In answer to that question, my most trusted supervisor told me, “You will know the rightness of your work through the reaction of those you are serving.” In other words, as in so much of our Christian lives, if the gifts of mercy, love and peace, among other qualities are present, experienced, and affirmed from those we are “present” to, we have the assurance that, “it is of God.”
So, now that we have placed ourselves into the heart and mind of Jesus, as much as that is possible, let’s just continue to look a bit more into today’s Scriptures to see our own way forward. The prophet Isaiah, in today’s first reading, foretold who Jesus—the Messiah would be:

• He would not break the bruised reed, or quench a wavering flame. This past week, we remembered the long, and most productive life of the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter. Several of his family members and close friends remembered him as, “being kind, and going out of his way to do so.”

• Isaiah continues that, Jesus would open the eyes of the blind (and we know that we can be blind in more than physical ways)—a good friend mentioned this past week her realization that, “Her new ministry seems to be that of being present,” and in that way, helping with some of that, “blindness.”

• Jesus we are told, would free captives from prison (the prison that our minds can many times be)—this one brings to mind what the police tell us is our responsibility in our communities, “If you see something, say something.” I think many times we don’t always realize how we really are here to make our world better, and that can happen by addressing the needs that we see.

• The coming Messiah would free too, those living in darkness (and that can be, of their bodies, minds, and hearts)
• Additionally, the Messiah would be one that would serve the cause of “right,” bringing true justice for all.
Isaiah’s words today, of what it is to be a servant are a wonderful definition and call to each of us as baptized Christians to move among God’s people doing what we can, what we must, to make sure that Jesus’ justice—God’s justice, is there for all.

Our 2nd reading from Acts lets us know how “inclusive” our loving God is, a trait that we as Jesus’ followers are called to as well; that God “shows no impartiality,” [everyone who] “does what is right, is acceptable.” In our faith, I would add, when “good” is happening, “the Spirit” is around!

So, my friends, it is early in the New Year, and probably you are still looking at new and different ways to be in 2025. If so, a previous quote from Pace Bene, an on-line daily peace message may be of help. Ivania Vanzant says, “Today I choose to close the door to yesterday, and open my mind, heart, and spirit to the blessings of this moment.” I know for myself that when I spend too much time worrying over “water already under the bridge,” I miss many wonderful things happening right in front of me.

And finally, for anyone who regularly reads/or hears my homilies, you are aware of my “always” ending, of asking your confirmation with the double, “Amens.” A little backstory to why I do this. The “amens” are in deference to a wonderful, male, priest friend, Father Jim Callan, who went home to God the end of 2024. He was very instrumental in my own journey to priesthood as he was for Mary Ramerman in 2001, as the 1st woman priest ordained through the Ecumenical Catholic church—formerly, The Old Catholic church, with Bishop Peter Hickman ordaining Mary. You may or may not be aware that the OCC broke away from the Roman Catholic church in 1870 after the First Vatican Council, disagreeing with the doctrine of infallibility of the pope established at that council. So, Mary and Jim then went on to pastor, with Jim co-pastor, and in 2nd place to Mary, Spiritus Christi church in Rochester, NY, for nearly 20 years.

Robert and I visited these two outstanding individuals after my diaconal ordination in 2007, and when I told him that I may take the option to be ordained “catacomb,” or secretly, due to protecting my Catholic certification as a chaplain, which I needed the bishop’s endorsement for, and my job at Winona Health, he said that, if I could find my way to be ordained, in a public way, I might be very surprised about who does, and does not support me!”
And you all know how that went, so my friends, in God’s loving Spirit, we go forward, like our brother, Jesus, not always knowing the outcome, but trusting in God, to be with us, and show us the way—Amen? Amen!