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It is suggested that a there be a pause of 10 second or so after each of the readings or mediations before saying the Hail Mary. The ... also suggest places where short pauses might be appropriate.
The baptism of Jesus according to Mark. It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and
was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw
the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon
him. And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased." Mk 1:9-11
…in those days… in the Jordan… Jesus was baptized in a very real place in a very real time. For those
who were on the shore of the Jordan River that day, the place may have
been very familiar to them, a very ordinary place and time, as ordinary
as this place here is for us today. …he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens… In that very ordinary place, in that very ordinary time, something unexpected
happened... the heavens were torn open... the Spirit came down... a voice
was heard...
"…he saw the heavens being torn open… And a voice came from the heavens…" If we are gathered here today (tonight) in this very ordinary time and
place, it is because, somewhere deep within us, we hope, without knowing
quite how, that the heavens will be torn open a bit for us as well...
that a voice will make itself heard in our very ordinary lives... Being
here today is a way of saying to God that we hope he will speak to our
hearts. "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." My Son... my beloved... Jesus surely knew that his Father loved him,
and yet he needed to hear it because the road ahead would not be easy...
My son, my daughter... my beloved... We also know that the Father loves
us, but we need to hear today his voice say to us, "you are my beloved."
The baptism of Jesus according to Luke. After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized
and was praying, heaven was opened
…Jesus ...had been praying... We, like Jesus, feel the need to take time for player. Even if the sky were torn open, even if the Spirit came, even if the Father spoke... all would be in vain if no one were there to wait in hope, to welcome in faith, and to listen with love.
…heaven was opened... And a voice came from heaven… "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, (then) I will enter his house and dine with him, and
he with me." - Revelations 3; 20 "…with you I am well pleased. " Jesus always did what was pleasing to his Father. All of his life was
rooted in his love for the Father, a love that wished nothing else but
to do the will of the one he loved, a love that, at the end of his journey,
would be stronger than death.
Because the Father also tells us "You are my daughter, you are my son, my beloved, " we can also live grounded in that love, a love stronger than all the powers of death we encounter on our own journey.
This is document is also available in .pdf format.
©Gilles Côté 2003 - Permission
is granted for non commercial use.
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The
First Mystery of Light: The Baptism of Jesus
Our Father...