Daily Gospel Reflection for January 6, 2017

Today's Gospel: Mark 1:7-11

What John speaks of today is a different kind of baptism. He speaks of a baptism of conversion, a sorely needed baptism in his day. God’s people were frustrated. They had been through the desert, led to the Promised Land and still after all these years had passed, no Messiah. God’s people were going astray once more.

So it is with our world today. Society in large part tosses aside any belief in a supreme being. People feel they are in control of their own destinies and no one else is qualified or able to contradict or correct them. It is indeed a sad time we find ourselves - a time sorely in need of a spiritual renewal.

When we are baptized, our parents bring us to the Sacrament. Baptism is a very public display of the commitment we make to God. As we grow in age and knowledge we partake in the sacrament of Confirmation. This time we speak for ourselves and again, we do so in a very public setting.

What we find today are three kinds of “lukewarm” Catholics. First there are the nominal Catholics, those who attend Church three times a year and perhaps when a loved one dies. Secondly there are the unformed. These are baptized Catholics who never really received proper instructed on the teachings of the Catholic faith and are largely ignorant of them. Lastly there are the uninterested. They attend Mass but are not involved in their faith or the activities of the parishes.

We must do what we can to serve as witnesses to the lukewarm Catholics in our lives. That requires us to evangelize through example AND word. Today, resolve to take the time to reignite the flames of baptism and confirmation in someone you know.

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Ponder:

Who in your life can you choose to help re-ignite their faith?

Pray:

Lord please give me the guidance and strength to re-ignite the flame of faith in the lukewarm Catholics in my life.

Pete Socks converted to the Catholic faith in 1996. You can find his reviews, author interviews and weekly giveaways at the website he founded, The Catholic Book Blogger. He also serves as a Managing Editor and writer for Catholic Stand When not reading and writing, Pete is the happily married father of five, working his way through life in rural PA.