Baptized with the Holy Spirit for a Life of Repentance
"St. John the Baptist Preaching" by Salvator Rosa Click here to listen to this sermon. [John the Baptist said:] “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Our Advent journey began last week with Jesus headed into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday. Today we back up a few years and take a detour through the Jordan where Jesus began His public ministry in baptism, much as we begin our discipleship in Holy Baptism. The way of the Lord is a rigorous one because we always journey “in Christ.” But we know where we are going, and we know who we are. In this second week of Advent, we remind ourselves that we have been baptized with the Holy Spirit for a life of repentance. We will soon celebrate Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, but already on these f...