“If you take away their breath, they perish and return to the dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth”  Psalm 104:29-30

The Baptism of the Lord is the bridge between Christmas and Ordinary Time.  But isn’t it interesting that we already have a reminder of Ash Wednesday with the reference to dust? As Jesus goes down into the water to be baptized, we recall our own baptism.  We are reminded that from the womb to the tomb, we are the Lord’s.  As the Holy Spirit comes down like a dove at Jesus’ baptism, so will the Holy Spirit come down upon us at the moment of our deaths and recreate us into his image and likeness, purifying us with grace.   

The human condition is fragile. Our time here on earth is short!  What joy and comfort there is to know that the Holy Spirit is with us and always renewing us and all creation! Let our hymns on this solemn feast be sung with grateful hearts!