Behold, today is the day of salvation

Tomorrow, the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord, marks the end of the liturgical season of Christmas. It seems this has been a difficult Christmas season for our country. The terror attack in New Orleans and the southern California fires seemed to emphasize the challenges our country has faced over the previous four years, and Trump supporters keep telling us that the mood of the country is decidedly optimistic. I am hopeful they have reason for their optimisim, if I don’t wholeheartedly share it. One thing does seem apparent, and that is that the Republicans are far more united today than they’ve been in past political cycles. Everyone seems to recognized that Trump’s victory, staggering in its historical significance, truly represents a mandate for the direction the people want to the country to move in. The last four years have been terrible. Is it possible that we have no where to go but up, even if it’s Trump leading us there?

Tomorrow we will take our Christmas tree down, as well as our Christmas wreath. We will return to Ordinary Time. But, of course, when God is in charge, there’s no such thing as Ordinary Time. God’s version of Ordinary Time is a time of miracles and lives transformed by His grace. This is the time to make New Year Resolutions, and hope we can keep them until maybe the first week of February. But, for God, today is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2). For God, every day is an opportunity to experience His grace in such a way as to transform our lives.

The Baptism of the Lord is a particularly fit Solemnity to recall that God’s grace renews us every day. Through Baptism, we become members of the Body of Christ, we receive the life of the Holy Trinity, and our sins, original sin and, if needed, any actual sins, are washed away. Baptism is the door to the other sacraments, so once baptized we may then be confirmed, receive Holy Communion, and the other sacraments, according to our need and vocation. Baptism is a beginning. If we’ve dropped our New Year Resolutions already, or never made any in the first place, the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord might be a good day to give ourselves a second chance, or a first chance for that matter.

In any case, as I said, and as St. Paul said, today is the day of salvation.

I’m feeling renewed today. For the last week I’ve been suffering with a nasty bronchitis: fever, chills, aches & pains, and a horrible cough. I still have the cough with me, but not near as bad as even yesterday. Today is the first day I’ve had any kind of energy to speak of. There’s snow on the roads, and in Knoxville that means you go no where unless absolutely necessary because no one knows how to drive on this stuff, so you take your life in your hands going out. So, I’m cleaning up for the first time in a bit. Getting my clothes done, setting my books straights, putting my papers together. It’s a good day for such things, given that my energy level is still only moderate, given that there’s no where to go and no reason to go there on a day like this, and given that it needs to be done. This, too, is grace.

After all is said and done, I’ll find a book or two and make progress on that tall pile of reading that’s been set aside for a day such as today. I wish there were more days like today. Perhaps, at my age, I can be conscious of making sure there are. Perhaps that would be a good New Year Resolution or, rather, Baptism of the Lord Resolution!

“For he says: ‘In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, today is the day of salvation.” Every day is an opportunity to respond to the grace of God poured out to us. Do no delay! Embrace the grace! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.