Sermon by The Rev. Deena M. Galantowicz
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There is a thread connecting our readings this morning.  All through today’s scripture readings, people are being called to further, deeper spiritual maturity.  In the First Reading, Isaiah discerns an even greater vocation for his people than that of their own recovery.  And then in the psalm, the writer expresses how his vision of God and of what God requires, becomes more mature, deeper.  In the Second reading, Paul is making every effort to help the people of the Corinthian Community realize their spiritual potential. 

Sermon by The Rev. Deena M. Galantowicz
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If you ever want to have a preview of what the theme of a particular Sunday will be all about, just look at The Collect of the Day, which is found on the first page after the opening hymn, towards the bottom of the page.  Today’s Collect is all about The Baptism of Jesus and our own Baptisms.  So, once that is recognized, it is no surprise that TODAY’s sermon is going to be all about Baptism …because this is the day designated in the church Calendar to focus on the Baptism of Jesus and the beginning of his public ministry.

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Well, today is the twelfth day of our Christmas season.  New Year’s is behind us … The Feast of the Epiphany is tomorrow … January 6 … but this time between Christmas Day and Epiphany is the Church’s liturgical Christmas season.  The world would have us believe otherwise … most of the Christmas decorations in stores are already gone in those post-Christmas sales.  And some decoration certainly look like they need to be put away … just look at the wreaths turning brown here in our sanctuary.  That is what happens when you have Christmas Day on a Wednesday and our liturgical season stretches through two Sundays.  I was in Target yesterday and they have already put out the Valentine candy displays!

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I hope all of you had a blessed Christmas Day.  I hope that if any of you traveled, or your families and friends traveled, that you were safe.  And, I hope that you are well rested and ready to face the week ahead … and that you will welcome the New Year with a spirit of wonderment.  

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Every Christmas we hear these same lessons from Isaiah, Titus, and the Gospel of Luke.  Most of us grew up hearing the story of the birth of Jesus read to us as children, and we saw depictions of the story in art, and holiday cards and manger scenes on our mantles.  The stable with the animals, the angels and the shepherds, the stars in the heaven.  And we sang songs that told us how peaceful and serene the event was. The story of the birth of Jesus is so very familiar to us that we sometimes have a tendency to not listen as closely to the story as we would if we were hearing it for the first time.