The Baptism of the Lord
As
the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their
hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of
them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful
than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand,
to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the
chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had
been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit
descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven,
"You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Baptism of Christ
ANGELICO,
Fra
1450
San
Marco Church
Florence
Italy
"Frescoes painted by Fra Angelico in monastic cells at
the Dominican monastery of San Marco in Florence show scenes from Christ's life
that are differently focused than those influenced by Franciscan piety. These
are not "moving pictures," but posed scenes. Their purpose is not to
arouse emotion, but to stimulate contemplation. Dominican monks appear in the
sacred scenes, both observing and modeling the responses expected from the
viewer. Meditation on these scenes was preparation for preaching vividly and
persuasively on them. "De modo orandi," a thirteenth-century
devotional manual for Dominican novices, instructed novices in the use of
gestures and postures to accompany and intensify prayer, many of which are also
found in the Dominican figures in Fra Angelico's paintings. The manual states,
"specific states of mystical consciousness can be stimulated by
deliberately assuming bodily postures" (Hood, 1993: 205). By imitating the
founder of the Order, who himself imitated Christ, the novice could begin to
preach with his life even before he was permitted to preach with words."
(Miles, 221)
Every new beginning comes from
some other beginning’s end.
~
Seneca
All the art of living lies
in a fine mingling
of letting go and holding on.
~
Henry Havelock Ellis
Such
a lovely gift!
I
thank you.
At
Rotary some of our members gave a plug for
our
upcoming Mardi Gras celebration.
Our
speakers were our own Dr. Ted Ning and Shelly Stansbury.
They
discussed “Navigating the Opioid Crisis."
But it is better to follow even
the shadow of the best
than to remain content with the worst.
And those who would see wonderful things
must often be ready to travel alone.
~ Henry van Dyke
January 13, 2019 Baptism of the Lord
First Sunday after
the Epiphany
Previous OPQs may be found at:
Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
Agnus Day appears with the permission
of www.agnusday.org
Isaiah 43:1-7
Psalm
29
Acts
8:14-17
Luke 3:15-17,
21-22
Isaiah
43:1-7
But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you,
O Israel:
Do not fear,
for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name,
you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and through the rivers,
they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire
you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not
consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba
in exchange for you.
Because you are precious
in my sight,
and honored,
and I love you,
I give people
in return for you,
nations in exchange
for your life.
Do not fear,
for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring
from the east,
and from the west
I will gather you;
I will say to the north,
"Give them up,"
and to the south,
"Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
and my daughters
from the end of the earth —
everyone who is called
by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."
Psalm
29
Ascribe to God,
O heavenly beings,
ascribe to God glory
and strength.
Ascribe to God the glory
of God's name;
worship God
in holy splendor.
The voice of God
is over the waters;
the God of glory
thunders,
God, over mighty waters.
The voice of God
is powerful;
the voice of God is full
of majesty.
The voice of God
breaks the cedars;
God breaks the cedars
of Lebanon.
God makes Lebanon skip
like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of God flashes forth
in flames of fire.
The voice of God shakes
the wilderness;
God shakes the wilderness
of Kadesh.
The voice of God causes the oaks
to whirl,
and strips the forest bare;
and in God's temple all say,
"Glory!"
God sits enthroned
over the flood;
God sits enthroned
as ruler forever.
May God give strength
to the people!
May God bless the people
with peace!
Acts
8:14-17
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down
and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the
Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name
of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they
received the Holy Spirit.
Luke
3:15-17, 21-22
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were
questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one
who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of
his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing
fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into
his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had
been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit
descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven,
"You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."