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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

 

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The Baptism of Christ

MOCHI, Francesca

1634-50

Palazzo Braschi

Rome

Italy

https://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi87.htm

 

Having ranked among Rome's best sculptors in the early 1630s, Mochi was soon overshadowed by Bernini and Alessandro Algardi. During the last twenty years of his career Mochi had only five significant commissions, and two of these were withdrawn and awarded to Bernini and Algardi. The marble group of the Baptism (c. 1634-50; Palazzo Braschi, Rome) and his Sts Peter and Paul (1638-52; Porta del Popolo, Rome) were both rejected by their patrons and subsequently installed in locations other than those for which they had been intended.

These late 'expressionistic' works have generated more discussion than any other aspect of Mochi's career. One interpretation suggests that they are reversions to Florentine Mannerism, while another compares them to a trend in painting of the late 1630s and 1640s that emphasized an internalization of emotion and a dematerialization of form.

The Baptism of Christ carved for San Giovanni dei Fiorentini in Rome was not installed; the group was subsequently placed on the Milvian Bridge, and is now in the Museo di Palazzo Braschi.

https://www.wga.hu/html_m/m/mochi/baptism.html

 

 

What's lost is nothing to what's found …

~ Frederich Buechner

 

 

Sometimes questions are 

more important than answers.

~ Nancy Willard

                                                       

 

 

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Some of our Peace Committee members met at Starbucks.

 

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Abby Yoshioka started real food.

She LOVES spinach … the tomato not so much.

 

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Introduction of the Yoshiokas to Costco!

 

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Tina and Friend

 

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25,000+ Memorial Candle Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock | Memorial candle black background, Jewish memorial candle, Memorial candle blue.jpeg

 

Remembering

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Danna Katherine Cuin

1946 ~ January 4, 2025

Such a gifted and caring and giving human being!

 

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Danna also had some unique talents!!!

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David and Danna Cuin

The Cuins have created these unique fused-glass aspen leaf dishes that reflect many colors within the glass. The aspen leaves are gold leaf, and they change colors as it moves, from yellow to green to orange to gold, just as aspen leaves change throughout the year.

 

 

 

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And the fox said to the little prince:

men have forgotten this truth,

but you must not forget it.

You become responsible, forever,

for what you have tamed.

~ Antoine de Saint-Exuperay

 

 

 

January 12, 2025 - First Sunday after the Epiphany - Baptism of the Lord -Year C

Previous OPQs may be found at: 

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

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.”

Isaiah 43:1-7

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

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Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

 

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LECTIONARY

Isaiah 43:1-7 

Psalm 29 

Acts 8:14-17 

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

 

THE WORD:

Today’s Gospel is the final event of the Epiphany: Jesus’ baptism at the Jordan River by John.  The Christmas season “officially” (liturgically) comes to an end today at the banks of the Jordan.  Jesus is no longer the child in a Bethlehem manger but the adult Redeemer making his way to Jerusalem.  The good news spoken by the angels continues to unfold; the most wondrous part of the Christ story is yet to be revealed.  Today, the same Spirit that “anoints” the Messiah for his mission is to be about the work of Christmas in this new year: to seek out and find the lost, to heal the hurting, to feed the hungry, to free the imprisoned, to rebuild nations, to bring peace to all peoples everywhere.

Luke presents Jesus as the last person to be baptized by John, bringing John’s ministry to completion.  Luke describes the scene with many images from the First Testament:

  • the sky opens (“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down” – Isaiah 63: 19);
  • the Spirit “descended upon him like a dove” (many rabbis likened the wind above the waters at the dawn of Genesis to a dove hovering above its newborn; in employing this image, Luke suggests that, in this Jesus, a new Genesis is about to take place);
  • the “voice from heaven” identifies and confirms Jesus as God’s “beloved son.”
    Jesus’ baptism at the Jordan becomes the moment of God's “anointing” of his Messiah (the word Messiah means “anointed”) for the work he is about to do.

https://connectionsmediaworks.com/sundaygospel.html#jan5

 

 

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."