January 11, 2026

hears the words we all long to hear from our heavenly Father: This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. What more could anyone ask for? Pleasing our God, being right with Him, is the goal of every Christian. This journey begins where we meet Jesus today. In the Gospel, John the Baptist is offering a baptism of repentance. Jesus obviously did not need such a baptism but He chose to give the people of His time, and us, an example. The virtue of humility first comes to mind. It was from that moment that Jesus moved forward in His ministry.

The same goes for us. Baptism is our entry into the Body of Christ, and we become Children of God. During baptism, we are anointed with fragrant oil, mandated to be Priest, Prophet and King. Yes, that is what each of us is by virtue of our baptism! A priest is one who stands between God and the People, interceding on their behalf in prayer. Each of us is called to be that bridge! It is too easy to think of it as only the job of an ordained priest, but in this context, it is the priesthood of the baptized that calls us to this work. Each of us is to be a prophet, one who speaks the Word of God and calls others to follow it in hope. Finally, we are all kings, called to advocate and defend the vulnerable in all of creation.

Maybe you haven’t thought about it that way, but at every baptism, the person is being called to those three ministries: Priest, Prophet and King! Every baptized person has these responsibilities and dignity before God and all humanity. Let’s not sell ourselves — or each other – short. The dignity of every baptized person comes from the hand of God and cannot be denied.

It is from this moment of baptism that we are also called to be missionary disciples. We become disciples of Jesus when we develop a true and lasting relationship with Him. We become missionaries when we take the next step and share that joy in meaningful ways. You’ll be hearing that term more as time goes on. Stay tuned!

As I write this, the United States has just invaded Venezuela. This is a most complex situation and cannot be judged easily. Our country has interests there but more important than American corporate concerns are the concerns of the people of that land. Let’s offer prayers that this situation will resolve quickly and without bloodshed. Hopefully, by the time your read this, it will be done and over.