January 10th - Baptism of the Lord - Feast Five!

(Preaching at the 12:30 Mass on Sunday - My Silver Jubilee)

[Mother of God and Epiphany Homilies available >>>> at Estok Homily Library!]

We wrap up the Christmas season with the feast of Jesus' Baptism in the Jordon at the hands of John the Baptist and the Word of God the Father. All the religious people in Jesus' experience were getting baptized. What is striking me most this year is that Jesus was the human revelation of God and He was a religious human being. God affirms Jesus' religious choice to be baptized within the religious community.

So God became a human being, Jesus assumed our human condition, and he showed us what godly humanity looks like. And it is religious. I have believed this sincerely. I have always wanted to be religious and have revered religion. It is a calling within the Christian calling. God wants us to be relgious too. Are you?

This weekend is my anniversary of ordination as a priest. It is a life dedicated to religion. I still believe it is of the essence of our human lives. Human lives like Jesus'. Revealing the love of God requires that we be religious. I can only hope and pray that my priesthood has furthered this project in the lives of the people of Cleveland. When we are gone will they be able to say "yes, he was religious!"