FatherJim.Tech

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which has also been known as Candlemas as well as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Luke tells us: “When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord….” According to the Law, when a woman gave birth, she was unclean for seven days, and then an additional thirty-three days in which she could not touch anything holy or…

Last week, we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord. As soon as John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God, Jesus begins to gain followers, the first of which are Andrew and John. We may also intuit that James, the brother of John, was present as the other gospels relate. By the third day, Jesus has already called two brothers, Simon & Andrew, James & John, as well as two of their friends, Philip & Nathanel. Andrew is the first to call Jesus the Messiah, while Philip tells…

Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, which marks the conclusion of the Christmas Season and the beginning of Ordinary Time. The season really flew by this year. Perhaps it is a sign of how busy we all are. Busyness is one of the hallmarks of being American, isn’t it? We love to be busy. I say, to each their own. But, sometimes it is good to take time to unwind and to reflect. The Baptism of the Lord is the kind of day that invites us to reflect on the life of Christ as well as our own…