The Baptism of the Lord
January 9, 2022
The Baptism of the Lord

The Advent/Christmas cycle that began on November 28 ends with the Baptism of the Lord. We likely have an image in our minds (based on details from the Gospels and works of art) of what that scene looked like. We might wonder, "Who else was there and who wasn't?" No disciples were present because Jesus had not yet begun his ministry. They would have to wait until the Transfiguration to hear a similar message. However, the three persons of the Blessed Trinity are accounted for: the Father (the voice from heaven), the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, Luke alone notes that it was after Jesus had been baptized and while he was praying that the voice was heard. All of the Gospels show Jesus praying at turning points in his ministry; this is but the first example of Jesus' need to root himself in prayer throughout his life--a model for us to follow.

ON THE CUSP OF A NEW CREATION
It was on the Fourth Sunday of Advent this past December that we first heard of the two cousins, John and Jesus, meeting. Then it was in the womb of their mothers, Elizabeth and Mary. Now the cousins meet again on the shore of the Jordan River. John is already well known--so much so that people had begun to wonder if he was the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus, on the other hand, is about to begin his ministry. One could say that Jesus entered the waters of the Jordan as a private person and came out of them as a public one. The voice from heaven left no doubt about that. As we come to the end of the Christmas season our readings echo Isaiah and Titus (see Advent and Christmas Day readings) and together with today's Psalm 104 they point us to Pentecost. We are on the cusp of a new creation.

JOHN THE BAPTIST: PATRON SAINT OF LITURGICAL MINISTERS?
John the Baptist was what we might call today a "social influencer." People paid attention to what he had to say. And what he said affected the choices people made. Yet today's Gospel reminds us of John the Baptist's ultimate goal: "One mightier than I is coming." The Baptizer walks the fine line between drawing attention to himself with his fiery preaching and then re-directing that attention to Jesus, the "beloved Son." John the Baptist could be considered the "patron saint" of those who minister as lectors, extraordinary ministers of the eucharist, cantors, greeters, acolytes, and musicians. Isn't John's teaching a good goal for a liturgical (or any!) minister? Rooted in the graces of their own baptism, ministers must be skilled and confident enough to draw people's attention (or, at least, not turn them off!) and then gradually re-focus that attention on Jesus. It is a dynamic and awesome responsibility.

Today's Readings: Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Ps 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30; Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7; Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.
LITURGY
Anyone that feels sick, has tested COVID positive, or has been exposed to a person who is COVID positive should stay home and attend the live-stream Mass.
Mass Intentions
January 8 - January 14
To schedule a Mass intention, please email stmartinoftours@icloud.com.
Saturday 5:00pm - Ben Patellaro †
and Sal Lipari †

Sunday 8:30am - Right to Life

Sunday 10:00am - JW Knapen †

Sunday 11:30am - Frank Doyle

Monday 8:00am - Souls in Purgatory

Tuesday 8:00am - St. Martin of Tours Parishioners

Wednesday 8:00am - James & Vincee Viso †

Thursday 8:00am - Jerry Romero †

Friday 8:00am - Antoinette Lipari †
PRAYER REQUESTS FOR THE DECEASED:
Jerry Romero, Dion Campisi,
Estella Alvarez Da Valdez,
Verla Perry, Marie Catherine Lindsay, Hilaria Amezquita, Richard Hernandez, Laura Dominguez
PRAYER REQUESTS FOR THE SICK:
Nadja Haddad, Jo Baroni,
Jose Mendoza, Dee Jackson, Sofia Rita Vernacchia,
 Helena Knapen,
Joe Arant
Please pray with us for our parishioners, family and friends.
Prayer Angels Ministry
Prayer is one of the greatest gifts you can give another. If you or someone you know is in need of prayers (sick, deceased, birthday, anniversary...), please email Therese Lehane at tlehane@stmartin.org and let our Prayer Angels pray for you or someone you know.
PARISH EVENTS
Upcoming Parish Events...
Thursday, January 13th
Speaker Series
4:00 - 5:15 p.m. in the Church

Monday, January 17th
Martin Luther King Jr. Observance
Parish Office Closed

Monday, January 17th
Food Box Packing
3:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Bailey House

Friday, January 21st
Food Box Distribution
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. under the Tents
For a complete list of Parish events:
Speaker Series

For over 2000 years, Christians have felt the sacredness of God through stories, stained glass, music, sculpture, drama, poetry, and painting. These arts speak to different age groups, learning styles and educational levels, offering a way to engage respectfully with a multicultural world. We are made in the image of a creative God; we are God’s artwork, and appreciating human creativity draws us closer to the Creator. We’ll explore visual arts, literature, and music in a context of beauty, where no interpretation is wrong. Then we’ll ask how our lives can be works of art.

Please join us Thursday, January 13, 2022 from 4:00pm-5:15pm in the church as we listen to Kathy Coffey talk about “The Art of Faith”, inviting us to see with the eyes of faith and to see our own lives as unique and priceless works of art. Kathy Coffey is the author of many books such as Hidden Women of the Gospels, More Hidden Women of the Gospels (Orbis) ,and When the Saints Came Marching In (Liturgical Press). She taught for fifteen years at the University of Colorado, Denver, and Regis Jesuit University. She has won sixteen awards from the Catholic Press Association, the Foley Poetry Award from America magazine, and several others. She has spoken at national conventions such as the Los Angeles and East Coast Congresses, NCCL, NCEA and many diocesan gatherings. Her own spirituality has been shaped by 49 years of parenting and 10 years of grandparenting. A widow, the mother of four and grandmother of six, she lives in the Bay area, CA. For more information, see her website: kathyjcoffey.com.
STEWARDSHIP & DEVELOPMENT
Parish Support

We thank you for your continued support in 2021. As we begin the New Year, we ask you to please continue to help us in supporting our ministries. If you would like to make a secure one-time donation and/or setup regular online donations, please use the GIVE NOW button. We appreciate your kindness! Thank you again!!
Parish Office Hours
Monday -Thursday 10 AM to 5 PM

If you or a loved one is in need of Sacramental care, such as anointing of the sick, last rites or confession, Fr. Gener & Fr. Saju are available. Please contact them directly using the staff directory below.
Liturgical Ministries
Volunteer Signups

If you are interested in being a lector, usher, eucharistic minister or altar server, use the button below to signup. If you have any questions, please contact the parish office at 408-294-8953. Thank you!!
FAITH FORMATION & SPIRITUALITY
Dates to Remember
 
RCIA: 
January 9 – 11:30 AM session in the parish office 
January 16 – 11:30 AM session in the parish office
January 23 – 11:30 AM session in the parish office
 
CCM (Children's Catechetical Ministry)/First Eucharist Preparation: 
January 6 – 4:00 PM to 5:15 PM CCM sessions for children 
January 13 – 4:00 PM to 5:15 PM Parent session (Speaker Series) in the church 
January 27 – 5:30 PM to 6:45 PM Virtual Family Faith Night
February 3 – 4:00 PM to 5:15 PM CCM sessions for children

Confirmation: 
January 9 – 4:00 PM to 5:15 PM Candidate session in the Community Building 
January 13 – 4:00 PM to 5:15 PM Parent session (Speaker Series) in the church 
January 23 – 4:00 PM to 5:15 PM Candidate session in the Community Building 
February 6 – 4:00 PM to 5:15 PM Candidate session in the Community Building
The Light of Christ Shining in our Catechists and our Families...
This Sunday, we commemorate the Baptism of our Lord. Through our own baptism, we are made members of the Body of Christ. As members of this body, we are strengthened, supported, encouraged, and empowered to live out our baptismal calling every day we are blessed to be on this earth.

That hope and strength comes from the fact that the one we follow was baptized himself, showing us what humble service truly is. He came to his cousin, John, was prayed over and immersed in the waters of the Jordan, and he modeled for us what it truly means to be his disciple.

We become followers of Jesus Christ through the vows we make at our baptism. They are questions we answer that affirm our faith in the one true God, and they confirm our intention to live out our baptismal calling our entire earthly life. 

As we seek to live out our baptismal calling in these difficult, challenging times, we do not have to do so in isolation. Through our baptism, we are part of a community of believers who strengthen one another, comfort one another, and yes, hold one another accountable. For God not only says to God’s only Son, “You are my beloved, with you I am well pleased.” God also says that to each of us, for we are all blessed with the power of the Holy Spirit to love, serve, and shine the light of Christ into the darkness of this world. 

As we enter this new year, I am grateful to see the light of Christ shining in our catechists and in our faith formation families who support and nurture the faith of their beloved children, encouraging them to live out their baptismal calling to follow and serve the Lord all the days of their lives.
A Closer Look at Saints…..
St. John the Baptist

We call John the Baptist the “forerunner” because he was the prophetic voice who prepared the way for Jesus. John, who was Jesus’ cousin, went into the wilderness and lived a simple, hard life focused on God’s will. He preached repentance, and people came to him for baptism in the Jordan River. Jesus came, too, to have John baptize him at the beginning of his public ministry.

John is easy to recognize in art. Usually he’s dressed in the camel’s hair tunic and leather belt the Gospels describe him as wearing. Because John called Jesus “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” a lamb might be present. John usually carries a staff, and that staff is in the shape of a cross. Sometimes the staff has a banner attached to it.

John appears in some portraits of the baby Jesus and his mother. You know the other child is John because, even in these pictures, the little child is dressed in camel’s hair and holds a staff or a lamb. The artist does not mean that the baby John was present at Jesus’ birth. The image of the two babies reminds us that John’s holy purpose was to share the Good News of Jesus, the Lamb of God.
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January 9, 2022 The Baptism of the Lord

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 • Titus 2:11-14 • Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

 …a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” —Luke 3:22

Baptism is an important sacrament! It welcomes you into the body of Christ, the Church. It is a time when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and allows you to receive the gifts of grace God offers. Many of us were baptized as babies, but God keeps giving us gifts as we get older. These gifts are “super-powers” that allow us to do more of what God wants than we could have on our own. Jesus was baptized to set the example for us and help us see what we could do with our gifts. He wanted to show us that we should spend our whole life on earth helping to do good in the world and bring others closer to God. What a special gift!

Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for the sacrament of baptism. We are so blessed to receive your Holy Spirit so we can make a difference in the world.

Family Reflection: Do you remember your baptism? Ask your parents to tell you about it. Who are your godparents? How are they special to you?
Children's Sunday Bulletin & Activities
Web Link for this week - Children's Sunday Bulletin & Activities:
ST. MARTIN OF TOURS SCHOOL
AROUND THE DIOCESE & COMMUNITY
What is a Synod and specifically the Universal Synod…

Pope Frances has called for a World Synod of Bishops to take place in October 2023. A Synod is much more than a gathering of Bishops, it is a consultative means which allows the college of Bishops to perceive the voice of all christian faithful as well as those we live with.

A synod according to the papal document is an opportunity to live our identity as Christians who pray, work and celebrate together. In order for this identity to be realized, it is necessary to dream together, to pray together, and to work together.” The synod “is therefore intended to inspire people to dream about the church we are
called to be, to make people’s hopes flourish, to stimulate trust, to bind up wounds, to weave new and deeper relationships, to learn from one another, to build bridges,
to enlighten minds, warm hearts, and restore strength to our hands for our common mission.” This particular World Synod has the theme of communion, participation and mission, all key aspects of our Christian life and church.

LISTENING
Listening is the first step, but it requires an open mind and heart, without prejudice. How is God speaking to us through voices we sometimes ignore? How are the laity
listened to, especially women and young people? What facilitates or inhibits our listening? How well do we listen to those on the peripheries? How is the contribution of consecrated men and women integrated? What are some limitations in our ability to listen, especially to those with different views than our own? What space is there
for the voice of minorities, especially people who experience poverty, marginalization, or social exclusion? For more information, see the Diocesan website https://www.dsj.org/universal-synod/
Join us for REVS vs. SEMS Basketball Game...
REVS vs. SEMS is a fun night for families and friends to cheer on their favorite priests and seminarians in an epic basketball game.

Friday, January 28, 2022 ▬ 6 pm Doors Open | 7 pm Tip off

St. Francis High School
1885 Miramonte Avenue Mountain View, California 94040
Markley Event Center Alumni Gym

Tickets $5 General
All proceeds from the game benefit Seminarian Formation.
Married Singles Lifestyle...

The Married Singles Lifestyle describes couples that may have lost a sense of closeness they once had as marriage partners and are living more like roommates.
Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vi with a long i) teaches couples how to survive times like these in their marriages. This program has helped 10’s of 1000’s of couples experiencing difficulty at all levels of marital distress from disillusionment to deep misery. For confidential information about or to register for the January Virtual Marriage Program beginning with a weekend on January 21-23, 2022 call 408-605-4998, email: SanJose@RetroCA.com or visit our website at www.HelpOurMarriage.org
Stay up to date with Diocesan wide news, events, and stories as well as news from the USCCB and the Vatican. Read the Bishop’s messages, see what our children are doing in school, and learn about upcoming community events. Follow the Diocese of San Jose on FacebookInstagramTwitter, and Vimeo. Social Media Posts: Facebook Instagram
RESOURCES & ASSISTANCE

Questions?
Please email the Parish Office.