Our Ministry Begins

The Season of Christmas officially ended with the Feast of The Baptism of the Lord. Jesus’ baptism and subsequent temptation in the desert was a time of transition from a quiet life to public life and his ministry. We don’t really know much about his life in Nazareth during this time however he certainly spent the majority of his life doing everyday things. He worked as a carpenter, ate together with his family, prayed in the synagogue and probably made pilgrimages to the temple in Jerusalem. And then he was baptized by John and a voice came from the heavens announcing Jesus as God’s beloved Son.

Children of God

Through baptism we identify ourselves as God’s sons and daughters and united we become a part of the Body of Christ. We then spend our life defining what our role is as Christians.

Liturgical Year A

Our journey through Ordinary Time will take us through the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew's Gospel is often referred to as “the church’s gospel” because it’s the only gospel to use the word “church”. Matthew gives us the Lord’s Prayer, the Sermon on the Mount, Peter in the role of leader and the theme of “the kingdom of God”. It is filled with many sayings of Jesus and his teachings, which makes Matthew a kind of catechism. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that baptism is “the door which gives access to the other sacraments” (CCC1213). 

Homework

Jesus’ ministry began with his baptism and we as his followers are to follow his example. Our own ministry began with baptism. If we look at our calling as a ministry, how we view our lives takes on a whole new meaning. The sacraments give us the confidence to live in “the kingdom of God”. We experience so many things in our life, through our work or school, our service in the community and interaction with others. What we do with these experiences helps to shape our ministry. Our ministry helps to shape the kingdom of God.