Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
Yesterday, we had a beautiful baptism in this Parish. Today, we journey together toward the Baptism and Holy Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Imagine for a moment that you were among those throngs of people who went out into the desert places to see – not Jesus, but His very own cousin, John the Baptist! Later, after John had been arrested, the Lord Jesus challenged these same crowds by asking them:
“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaking in the wind? Well, what did you go out to see? A man clothed in robes of silk? Behold! those who wear such delicacies dwell in palaces of kings! Well, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Oh yes, a prophet I tell you, and much more than a prophet!