Baptism of the Lord

 

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17

 

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Baptism of Jesus *

BONNELL, Daniel

Savannah, Georgia

United States

1999

 

Original in Saint George’s Cathedral

Jerusalem, Israel

 

https://bonnell.pixels.com/featured/the-baptism-of-the-christ-with-dove-daniel-bonnell.html

 

 

In an essay, artist Daniel Bonnell describes his contemplative process of “being present with a work of art, sitting in silence, visually listening.” Intrigued by the idea of “listening” with my eyes, I was reminded of the practice of lectio divina in which a passage of scripture is read several times so that the reader may gain fresh and deeper insight into its meaning and message. I decided to accept Bonnell’s challenge and do my best to visually listen to this piece of art.

 

As I listened to the image, I first noticed Jesus rising from the waters and imagined I could hear God’s voice surrounding him in a bright light declaring, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17, KJV). Next, my eyes were drawn to the Holy Spirit hovering over Christ, the shape of the dove’s wings mirroring the shape of Jesus’ arms and head. Christ is in the position he held on the cross, his hands bearing the weight of his body and his head bowed down. As I “listened” closely, I realized that Jesus’ feet lay one on top of the other with blood showing the nail wounds, the cross extending beyond his feet.

With this detail, Bonnell helps us understand that through baptism we are connected to Christ and the promise of our own resurrection. Like Jesus, who is surrounded by the light of God’s voice and the blue ripples of the baptismal waters, we are not alone. God is with us.

https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/blog-posts/898

 

 

 

 

 

Somewhere, something incredible 

is waiting to be known.

~ Blaise Pascal

 

 

 

We must be willing to let go of 

the life we have planned,

so as to have the life 

that is waiting for us.

~ E.M. Forster

 

 

 

Junna and Eugene Yoshioka’s Greeting Card

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Tina (3), Abby (1), and Ray (5) Yoshioka

Abby is wearing the kimono that both Junna and Reina Sakamoto wore for Shichi-Go-San Day when they were three years old..

 

Shichi-Go-San ( 'seven-five-three') is a traditional rite of passage and festival day for three- and seven-year-old girls, and five-year-old and sometimes three-year-old boys. It is held annually on November 15 and celebrates the growth and well-being of young children. As it is not a national holiday, it is generally observed on the nearest weekend.

 



Rotary Book Club

At the Ning's

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Erica Sprenkel, Ted Ning, Adrian Stone

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Leader Marianne Temple, Connie Ning   Ted Ning

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Lynn Bastian, Deb Sandler

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Ana Dodson                               Judi Dodson, Ana Dodson 

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Rocco Dodson, Rita Carver                            Lynn Bastian, Deb Sandler

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Rita Carver, Anita Kreider

 

 

Downtown Denver

January 8, 2026

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Longhorn steers walk down 17th avenue in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. 

(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)

 

 

Jodi Holman fixed a wonderful feast for

some of our LOBS!

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Jodi Holman, Robyn Mangham

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Debbie Propeck                         Kate McCord

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Robyn Mangham, Julie Bassett

 

 

 

Love is really the only thing we can possess, keep with us, and take with us.

~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

  



Remembering

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

 
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Annette Marie Bradley

May 1947 - January 7, 2026

Such a light in the lives of so many!

 

 

* Those who have the strength and the love to sit with a dying patient in the silence that goes beyond words will know that this moment is neither frightening nor painful, but a peaceful cessation of the functioning of the body.

~ Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

 

 

January 11, 2026   First Sunday after the Epiphany - Year A

                             Baptism of the Lord

 http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

* For Bob  🙏❤️

 

 

Baptism of the Lord

Agnus Day, by James Weinstein

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

 

1 Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod;
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?

Refrain:
Yes, we'll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

2 On the margin of the river,
Washing up its silver spray,
We will walk and worship ever,
All the happy golden day. [Refrain]

3 Ere we reach the shining river,
Lay we ev'ry burden down;
Grace our spirits will deliver,
And provide a robe and crown. [Refrain]

4 Soon we'll reach the shining river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace. [Refrain]

~ Robert Lowry 1864

 

 

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Isaiah 42:6 "I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose... I will keep you... #god #shorts.jpeg

 

 

The work of Christmas begins … after Epiphany

 

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LECTIONARY

Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 29
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17

 

 

THE WORD:

Today’s Gospel is the final event of the Epiphany event: Jesus’ baptism at the Jordan River by John.

The Baptizer’s refusal at first to baptize Jesus and Jesus’ response to his refusal (a dialogue that appears only in Matthew’s Gospel) speaks to Matthew’s continuing theme of Jesus as the fulfillment of the First Testament prophecies.  Jesus clearly did not need to be baptized.  But his baptism by John is an affirmation that God was with this man Jesus in a very special way – at the Jordan River, Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled: “my favor rests on him.”  Jesus has come to identify with sinners, to bring them forgiveness; hence the propriety of Jesus' acceptance of John’s baptism.

Baptism was a ritual performed by the Jews, usually for those who entered Judaism from another religion.  It was natural that the sin-stained, polluted pagan should be “washed” in baptism, but no Jew could conceive of needing baptism, being born a son of Abraham, one of God’s chosen people and therefore assured of God’s salvation.  But John’s baptism – a baptism affirmed by Jesus – was not one of initiation, but one of reformation, a rejection of sin in one’s own life and acknowledgment of one’s own need for conversion.  In Christ, baptism becomes a sacrament of rebirth, a reception of new life.

In all the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ baptism, all four evangelists use a similar description of the scene at the Jordan when Jesus is baptized by John:  The Spirit of God descended and rested upon him, “hovering” over him like a dove – as the Gospel story unfolds, the Spirit of God’s peace, compassion and love, will be the constant presence dwelling within and flowing forth from the Carpenter from Nazareth.

https://connectionsmediaworks.com/sundaygospel.html#jan8b

 

 

First Reading Isaiah 42:1-9

1   Here is my servant, whom I uphold, 
          my chosen, in whom my soul delights; 
     I have put my spirit upon him; 
          he will bring forth justice to the nations. 
2   He will not cry or lift up his voice, 
          or make it heard in the street; 
3   a bruised reed he will not break, 
          and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; 
          he will faithfully bring forth justice. 
4   He will not grow faint or be crushed 
          until he has established justice in the earth; 
          and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

5Thus says God, the LORD, 
          who created the heavens and stretched them out, 
          who spread out the earth and what comes from it, 
     who gives breath to the people upon it 
          and spirit to those who walk in it: 
6   I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, 
          I have taken you by the hand and kept you; 
     I have given you as a covenant to the people, 
          a light to the nations, 
7        to open the eyes that are blind, 
     to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, 
          from the prison those who sit in darkness. 
8   I am the LORD, that is my name; 
          my glory I give to no other, 
          nor my praise to idols. 
9   See, the former things have come to pass, 
          and new things I now declare; 
     before they spring forth, 
          I tell you of them.

Psalm 29

1   Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, 
          ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 
2   Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; 
          worship the LORD in holy splendor.

3   The voice of the LORD is over the waters; 
          the God of glory thunders, 
          the LORD, over mighty waters. 
4   The voice of the LORD is powerful; 
          the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

5   The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; 
          the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 
6   He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, 
          and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7   The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 
8   The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; 
          the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 

9   The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, 
          and strips the forest bare; 
          and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

10  The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; 
          the LORD sits enthroned as king forever. 
11   May the LORD give strength to his people! 
          May the LORD bless his people with peace!

Second Reading Acts 10:34-43

34Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all. 37That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Gospel Matthew 3:13-17

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”