This past week, after the observance of the Baptism of the Lord, we moved into the observance of Ordinary Time.  Our contemporary understanding of the word “ordinary” skews the meaning for us.  The Latin translated for us as “ordinary time”, literally means, “time through the year”.  It’s a way to identify the time that connects all the various observances throughout the Church year.

Today we observe the Baptism of the Lord.  We are baptized for the forgiveness of sin and given a new birth as the children of Father.  Given this understanding of the purpose of baptism, it prompts a question from many as to why Jesus was baptized?  He had no sin and was already the Son of the Father.  Even John the Baptist objected when Jesus came to him for baptism saying, “I should be baptized by you!”

 Today is a special Mass, the Epiphany, at which our youth will offer an elaborate processional, reenacting the events of the Nativity and the visits by the wisemen. Epiphany means to “be revealed.”