This weekend we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, which brings to a close the Christmas season, and is another Epiphany or manifestation of the Lord in the Gospels. John the Baptist raised both the religious and the political hopes of a people enslaved—and yet said that he was not the “one to come”—denying himself as the Messiah. What was the reaction of the people to his statement? Certainly, surprise.

Luke’s Gospel today also does not tell us how the people reacted to the people there at the Jordan River when the Holy Spirit descended as a dove upon Jesus or when they heard the Voice from heaven say, “You are My beloved Son; in whom I am well pleased.” What can take from today’s gospel account? John the Baptist’s refusal to claim the role of Messiah—“I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”—is insight into how we are called to live out our Christian vocations in faith. Whether priest, deacon, religious or lay person in the Roman Catholic Church, we are called to be proclaimers of His gospel message—and then get out of the way. We are called to plant the seeds of faith—tell His message—and let the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit)—nurture and grow the faith of others.

As a priest preaching the homily and leading the public worship, a deacon preaching or baptizing, a catechist teaching a religious education class, a youth minister taking students to a mission trip or leading a discussion, even a parent “preaching” at home or leading by example at the shelter or with a neighbor in need, we must believe the Holy Spirit is at work in our Church and in our lives. We plant the seeds, God harvests.

In the seminary Fr. Jack Sullivan, professor of Old Testament studies, would remind us: “Gentlemen, there is no ‘I disease’ in preaching…salvation is about Jesus Christ!” This actually is a stress reliever, at least preaching the homily, knowing that I am just retelling the story of Christ and then breaking open the message of the Scriptures, which is comforting in that knowing that it is God alone who will get to the heart and soul of the listener.