Advent Reflections

Christ's baptism in the Jordan by John's hand is the baptism of the world. Every creature, every made thing is washed clean, made holy, and brought into a new creation. God's human creatures are given the freedom to follow Christ's example in baptism, or to continue as natural creatures until death.

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary was a woman of a few words. In the gospel, she intervened on behalf of the married couple when they needed assistance. She simply said to Jesus “They have no wine”.

I grew up celebrating on this day the Mexican tradition of El Día de los Reyes Magos (The Day of the Wise Men). Whether at school or at home, we would cut a Rosca de Reyes (which is a cake like a Mardi Gras King cake), hoping not to get a toy of the baby Jesus in our slice, otherwise, whoever gets it will need to bring the tamales on February 2nd!

How are we able to see greater things in a world drowned in hedonism, defeatism, and nihilism?