Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

11 January • The Mystery of Jesus's Baptism & Our Spiritual Rebirth

A Word of Hope

Join Father Samuel Hakeem, OP for "A Word of Hope" as he reflects on the profound and often surprising Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Why did Jesus, who was without sin and in perfect relationship with God, choose to be baptized?

In this insightful message, Fr. Samuel explores the deeper meaning behind Christ's baptism, explaining how it not only shows us the path to a new covenant but also profoundly sanctifies the entire world through the very waters of baptism. Discover the beauty of the sacramental life and how tangible elements like water convey intangible grace, leading to our spiritual rebirth.

Learn why the Christmas season culminates with this significant feast, reminding us of the incredible gift of our own baptism – a rebirth in grace and the indwelling of the Holy Trinity. Take a moment to give thanks for this divine gift!

What you'll learn in this video:
  The unexpected nature of Jesus's baptism despite being sinless.
  The dual purpose of baptism: for forgiveness of sins and initiating a relationship with God.
  How Jesus's baptism sanctifies the waters of the world, making them a source of grace.
  The significance of tangible sacraments in receiving spiritual grace.
  Why the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks the end of the Christmas season.
  A powerful reminder of your own spiritual rebirth through baptism.

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Video Timeline:
0:00 - Introduction & A Snowy Albuquerque Setting
0:50 - The Surprising Feast: Why Was Jesus Baptized?
1:05 - What is Baptism For? (Forgiveness & Relationship with God)
1:31 - The Mystery: Jesus Has No Sin, Yet is Baptized
1:57 - Two Key Reasons for Jesus's Baptism
2:21 - How Jesus's Baptism Sanctifies the World
2:52 - The Beauty of Sacramental Life: Tangible Grace
3:26 - Why the Christmas Season Ends with the Baptism of the Lord
3:41 - Our Rebirth in Grace Through Baptism
3:59 - A Call to Give Thanks for Your Baptism
4:12 - Closing Remarks & Merry Christmas!

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#ChristmasSeason
#Grace
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#JohnTheBaptist
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A Word of Hope with dove

Every day the Chicago Dominicans offer "A Word of Hope" video to bolster our faith through these trying times. We welcome any feedback you have at hope@opcentral.org . You can see them all below, or you can see other preaching by a particular person by clicking on his name, and you can have them emailed to you each morning by signing up for our email service:

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    6 Aug • Listen to Jesus

    On this Feast of the Transfiguration, we remember that great event where Jesus' clothes were transformed dazzlingly white and God spoke through the cloud "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Listening to Jesus is the heart of Christianity, and God gives us these spiritual experiences not to rest in them, but to strengthen us as listeners who act on what we hear.
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    5 Aug • Our hope lies in truth

    The prophet Hananiah told the people what they wanted to hear. The Prophet Jeremiah told them the truth. Do we search for the truth or listen to those who tell us what we want to hear? The truth is sometimes comforting and sometimes challenging, but our hope can only lie in the truth. So if you want hope, search for the truth.
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    4 Aug • Trust God to lead us forward

    After God led the people out of Egypt, they complained because they were hungry. So God gave them manna and quail to eat in the desert. Can we trust that God will provide and go forth into the unknown with confidence, or do we drag our feet and long for a past that is gone?
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    3 Aug • Haunted by sin

    John the Baptist was a prisoner of Herod and was ultimately beheaded because he reminded Herod of a past sin that he could not get beyond. We do not have to be haunted by sin because we have the great Sacrament of Reconciliation.
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    31 July • Take the Word of God deep into your heart

    The prophet Jeremiah said to God, "When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart," Our prayer for you in bringing you A Word of Hope every day is that you too will devour the Word of God such that it could transform you as it has so many great saints, such as St. Dominic, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Alphonsus Liguori.
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    30 July • You and I are the good seed

    In today's Gospel, Jesus explains to his disciples the parable of the weeds and the wheat growing together, assuring them that, even though there are trials and weeds may be choking them, they were meant to be good seeds, planted to bring a good harvest for God, and that will happen if they remain faithful and trust God. You and I are also good seeds, planted by God to bring about a good harvest.
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    29 July • Purpose Over Pain

    When Jesus arrived after Lazarus' death, Martha called out to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." But her pain was turned to greater joy and great faith when her faith in Jesus led to the resuscitation of her brother. In modern times, we hear of Annette Nance Holt, who responded to the death of her 16 year old son, who died shielding another from bullets in a drive-by shooting, by starting an organisation that encourages people to work for an end to gun violence rather than simply living with the pain of its consequences. You can learn more about Purpose Over Pain at https://purpose-over-pain.org .
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    25 July • Standing with Jesus

    The mother of James and John asked Jesus if they could sit at his right and left in the Kingdom. Jesus asked them if they could drink from the cup he drank from, and they said they could. While Jesus could not give them these positions in the Kingdom, he promised they would drink from his cup, and they both suffered for the Kingdom as he did, but in very different ways. We cannot know where witnessing to the Kingdom will lead us, but we trust God to make the most of our lives if we do.
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    24 July • God will give you the words

    God called Jeremiah to become a prophet and promised to give him the words to speak when it was time. In life, we often find it difficult to know what to say at times. In conversations that matter, we should be open to prayer and allowing God to inspire us with the right words to say.
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    20 July • God Fights for Us Tenderly

    Under attack from the Pharisees, Jesus appropriated the words of the prophet Isaiah as his own, "He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smouldering wick until he brings justice to victory." Jesus fights for us, but he does so fearlessly but tenderly, and would never crush or harm us. We should love others as he loves us.
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    19 July • Enter into God's Divine Life

    Jesus defends his disciples picking grain on the sabbath not because he has no care for the law, but because he is the new place of encounter with God, and by being with him, his disciples are fulfilling the command for resting on the sabbath. How can we draw nearer to God today?
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    18 July • Rest for your soul

    Jesus said: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." He did not say that he would take away our burden, but he will refresh us and give us the strength to carry our burdens.
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    17 July • God will not abandon us

    From the prophet Micah today, we hear that even though we sin, God will not abandon us, but will save us, even when we fail. We should not take advantage of this message, having appropriate shame for our sins, but should take hope that what God has created, God will not abandon, despite our sin.
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    15 July • Truth and Division

    Jesus challenged his disciples that his words might bring division in families, because the truth he brings is more important than any kind of truth we have created for ourselves. The Good News is that Jesus will never stop fighting for us. Sometimes that fight will be painful, but it will be worth it.
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