Most Reverend José H. Gomez Archbishop of Los Angeles
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church Wilmington, California January 9, 2022
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
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So I’m very happy to be with all of you today, as we celebrate this holy Mass to mark the end of your jubilee year!
We ask St. Norbert to be near to us today and to intercede for us — that we might continue to deepen our faith, and grow in our awareness of the presence of Jesus, and grow in our desire to serve him with our lives.
I was reflecting on how St. Norbert was one of the great reformers in the Church history. And he and the Norbertine order have been the beautiful mission of turning hearts back to Jesus. And it is something that is absolutely necessary still in our time.
So we need to contemplate the life of Jesus and really reflect on how it is important for us to try to know him, love him, and imitate him.
So today, as we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we need to reflect on how important it is for us to open our hearts to the grace of God. That started with the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism, but it continues in our lives because we all try to be free from sin.
In our Gospel today we hear about the Trinity — the Holy Spirit coming down in, the Father speaking from Heaven, and Jesus receiving baptism. It seems to me that as we contemplate the Holy Trinity — God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — we also need to reflect on how each one of us is a son and daughter of God.
Let’s ask for that grace — to have that absolute conviction that we are children of God.
So as we share in the life of Christ, we also share in his mission. Our baptism gives us vocation and a mission – the same mission that the apostles had, that St. Norbert had, that we all have.
So let’s also ask for that grace today to renew our commitment to be missionary disciples.
So I hope that today, as we reflect on how we all are children of God, ask for the grace to be aware that it is so important for us to grow in our love for God and in love for others, helping them to discover the beauty of being children of God.
So let’s ask St. Norbert to pray for us. And let’s also ask Mary Our Blessed Mother for her intercession. That we all be more aware of the fact that we are children of God, that we are pleasing to God and especially, I would say, that God is always with us.
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Readings: (Feast of the Baptism of the Lord) Isa. 42:1–4, 6–7; Ps. 29:1–4, 9–10; Tit. 2:11–14; 3:4–7; Luke 3:15–16, 21–22.