January 11, 2026
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. With this feast, the Christmas season comes to a close, and we begin what the Church calls Ordinary Time. There is nothing “ordinary” about it at all. It is the time when faith is lived out day by day.
When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, He did not need baptism for Himself. He entered the water for us. In that moment, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended, and the voice of the Father was heard: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Before Jesus preached a word or performed a miracle, He was claimed and
loved.
The same is true for us. At our baptism, we were claimed by God. We became His sons and daughters. We were marked as Christ’s own and called to live as people of faith, hope, and love. Baptism is not something we leave behind in childhood—it is something
we live every day.
As we begin Ordinary Time, we are invited to remember who we are and whose we are. Our baptism calls us to live differently—to forgive, to serve, to trust, and to bring Christ into the ordinary moments of our lives. Holiness is not found only in great gestures, but in daily faithfulness.
Here at the Shrine, we walk this journey together. Day after day, people come tired, searching, or grateful—and they are reminded that they are loved by God. That is our mission: to help each person remember the grace of their baptism and the promise that God walks with them.
As we step into this new season of the Church year, may we renew our baptismal commitment and listen once again for God’s voice saying to each of us: “You are my beloved.”
I remember you at Mass.
Hope does not disappoint.
