Pastor's Note from Fr. Szparagowski 📝 - [Jan 11th Bulletin]

Dear St. Philip Neri Friends and Family,

We give praise and thanks to God for the graces and blessings He has given us! Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord—the moment when Jesus steps out of the hidden life of Nazareth and into the waters of the Jordan, beginning his public ministry. At first glance, this scene can seem puzzling. John the Baptist is calling sinners to repentance. Then Jesus, who is without sin, comes forward to be baptized. John resists: "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?" Jesus responds with words that are simple, yet deeply revealing: "Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."

"Allow it now."

These words open a window into the heart of Christ.

Jesus does not come to the Jordan because he needs purification. He comes to stand for us and with us. He steps into the muddy waters not to be cleansed, but to claim us as his own. From the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus chooses community over separation, humility over privilege, closeness over distance. He enters fully into the human condition, even into places marked by weakness and sin, so that no part of our lives would remain untouched by God's saving love. The prophet Isaiah gives us a portrait of this kind of Messiah. "Here is my servant whom I uphold… He will not cry out, nor shout… A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench." This is not a Savior who dominates or condemns. This is a servant—gentle, faithful, and persevering—who comes to restore life, not to crush it. In the waters of the Jordan, Isaiah's prophecy begins to unfold before our eyes.

When Jesus is baptized, the heavens open. The Holy Spirit descends like a dove. The Father's voice is heard: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." This is a moment of revelation. The Holy Trinity is made manifest, and Jesus' identity is proclaimed—not through power or spectacle, but through humility and obedience. And here is where this feast touches our own lives. In our own baptisms, we too were plunged into Christ. We were named beloved sons and daughters of the Father. The same Spirit who descended upon Jesus was poured into our hearts. Baptism is not just a ritual from the past; it is the foundation of who we are and how we are called to live.

Yet like John the Baptist, we often resist the way God chooses to work. We want clarity before trust, strength before surrender, control before obedience. We want to fix ourselves before coming to God. And Jesus says to us what he said to John: "Allow it now." Allow God to meet you where you are. Allow His grace to work in ways you may not fully understand. Allow yourself to be led by God. Isaiah reminds us that God's servant is sent "to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement." Through our baptism, we share in that mission. We are called—not loudly, not forcefully—but faithfully, to be light in the darkness, to lift up the bruised reeds around us, to protect the fragile flames of hope entrusted to our care.

As we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, may we renew our own baptismal promises in our hearts. May we hear again the Father's voice speaking to us. May we learn, like Christ, the quiet strength of humility and obedience—trusting that when we "allow it now," God is always at work, fulfilling his righteousness in us and through us.

Please invite someone to Mass today. St. Philip Neri, pray for us.

Have a Blessed, Joyful and Healthy New Year.

Fr. Szparagowski