Messiah of Israel

Homily for the 8 o’clock Mass, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Year A: 11 January 2026

Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17

Today, with the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism, we have the end of Christmas, and the end of the Epiphany. In the West from quite early times a separate Feast of the Baptism fell out of use, being simply absorbed into the Feast of the Epiphany.

Homily for the 8 o’clock Mass, 14 December 2025, Advent IIIA: Matthew 11:2-11; Is 35:1-6,10

Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?

This question of St. John the Baptist is a very good one for us to pose as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. If Jesus is not the one - if he is not the promised Messiah of Israel - indeed if he is less than God Incarnate - then we should cancel Christmas, close the monastery, and give up coming to Mass.