Weekly Digest of the Regnum Christi Daily Meditations: Jan 4 – 11, 2026
THE WEEKLY DIGEST
OF REGNUM CHRISTI
DAILY MEDITATIONS
Week of Dec 28, 2025 - Jan 4, 2026
Sunday, January 4, 2026 – All One Family
Monday, January 5, 2026 – Jesus Empowers and Heals
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 – How Great Is Our God
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 – A Summons to Faith
Thursday, January 8, 2026 – Let Me Not Presume
Friday, January 9, 2026 – Touch Me, Lord
January 4, 2026 – All One Family
The Epiphany of the Lord
Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Opening Prayer: Lord, bring me spiritually into your presence as an infant so that I, along with the Magi, can give you the gift of my full attention during this time of prayer.
Encountering Christ:
- Jesus Is for Everyone: The three kings came from distant pagan countries to worship Our Lord. The Catechism teaches that their homage to the King of the Jews “shows that they seek in Israel, in the messianic light of the star of David, the one who will be king of the nations.” We can rejoice most especially on this feast day that we belong to the “full number of nations” called to bow before our infant King.
- Gold and Frankincense: The Magi bore unusual gifts for the baby King: gold to acknowledge Jesus’s royalty; and frankincense, which is used in worship, to honor his divinity. Saint Gregory the Great warns, “There are some heretics who believe Him to be God, but do not at all believe that He reigns everywhere; these offer unto Him frankincense, but refuse Him gold. There are some others who think that He is King, but deny that He is God; these offer Him gold, but refuse Him frankincense” (Saint Gregory the Great’s Tenth Homily on the Gospels). As we join the Magi in their adoration of Jesus, let’s beg the Holy Spirit to fill us with awe, reverence, and fear of the Lord, so that we can worship him in truth as our King and our God.
- Mysterious Myrrh: The more somber of the three gifts the Kings brought to Jesus was myrrh, used to embalm or anoint dead bodies. Imagine how Mary’s heart must have broken as she accepted with humble submission this prophesy of her Son’s Passion and Death. Our Blessed Mother invites us to imitate her by making our own little sacrifices (our myrrh) when the opportunity arises during our day. “I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1).
Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for choosing me to be your friend and disciple. I am truly honored to be invited in to these moments with the Magi. May my entire life be a gift to you, received by and purified by my motherly intercessor, Mary.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace, on this celebratory feast of Epiphany, I offer you gold—my recommitment to obey all of your royal commandments; frankincense—the aroma of my heartfelt prayers; and myrrh—every suffering large or small united to you in your sorrowful Passion.
For Further Reflection: Celebrate Epiphany by blessing your home as a family with an Epiphany House Blessing.
Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.
January 5, 2026 – Jesus Empowers and Heals
Memorial of St. John Neumann, Bishop
Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
Opening Prayer: Lord, in this Christmas season it’s good for me to remember that you were very busy doing your Father’s will. Help me to put aside my to-dos for these few moments and quiet myself so as to encounter you as you teach and preach.
Encountering Christ:
- A Geography Lesson?: We are introduced in this Gospel to the names of many foreign towns and regions, but not as a geography lesson from on high. Instead, we learn that Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, and withdrew to Galilee after John’s death was fulfilling a seven-hundred-year-old prophecy. Matthew is helping us to realize that Our Lord’s birth, ministry, Passion, Death, and Resurrection had been orchestrated with divine intentionality and that this “carpenter’s son” (cf. Mt 13:55) is actually the Son of God. Many people of different origins followed him then, and follow him today as well. We are a very large and diverse church. How Christlike am I to others who don’t look, act, or talk like I do?
- Repent!: In these first days of his ministry, Jesus (always intent on doing the Father’s will) could have spoken to the people about many things—angels, resurrection, heaven—but his message to the Galileans was “Repent.” If he were to appear to us bodily in this moment of prayer, he would most likely also encourage us to repent. He invites us to examine our life each day in terms of love. Where have I loved? Where have I not? By loving, I bring the Kingdom of God to this world.
- Modern Cures: If Jesus came to my town today, I would, with the full force of my being, drag my friends and family to be cured. Imagine! All those sick with pornography, alcohol, vaping, internet addiction, cancer, anxiety, and depression would be made whole by Jesus’ touch. In reality, the same healing power is available in my neighborhood today through priests and Catholic healers, and further away at places like Lourdes and Fatima. And I also have the option to intercede for them before the Blessed Sacrament or, if at all possible, to bring them to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Thankfully, Our Lord’s healing ministry continues in today’s world for those who avail themselves of it.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for being so personal as to accompany me in these moments of prayer, and for being so universal so as to draw all kinds of believers to the faith. As Saint Paul says, you “gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God…” (Eph 4:11-13). Thank you for the diversity of our gifts. Bless us all, especially those I love who most need your healing.
Resolution: Because I participate in your healing power, Lord, today by your grace I will spend a moment before the Blessed Sacrament or make a little sacrifice today for the healing of someone in particular.
For Further Reflection: Read about this modern miracle attributed to Fulton Sheen.
Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.
January 6, 2026 – How Great Is Our God
Tuesday after Epiphany
Mark 6:34-44
When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” He said to them in reply, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.
Opening Prayer: Jesus, you know my needs before I ask. I am hungry and want fulfilment. Make yourself present as I spend some time reflecting on your words and actions, and please fill me with your grace.
Encountering Christ:
- Bring It to Christ: The Lord had been feeding the crowd with his Word for a while (“it was already late”), and he knew that they needed food. But he apparently waited for his disciples to bring their needs to his attention before he acted. When they brought the problem to Jesus, they also proposed a solution. Jesus must have smiled, knowing how surprised they were about to be by the miracle he planned to perform. When we bring our needs to Jesus, we delight him by our faith. He always answers these prayers. Sometimes he says “yes” and performs a miracle, sometimes he says “not yet” and we wait patiently persevering in prayer, and sometimes the answer is, “I have something better in mind.”
- How Many Loaves Do You Have?: Our Lord asked the disciples to feed thousands of people with the five loaves they had on hand. Impossible, right? He asks us impossible things too. “Keep your temper in traffic this morning. Break your habit of gossip with your coworker during lunch. Persevere in prayer and sacrifice for your adulting son even though there’s no sign of hope.” None of these good deeds feeds 5,000 people… or do they? We never see the full ramifications of our sacrifices, praise be to God! He asks us to live a holy life, with the help of his grace, and leave the miracles to him.
- Help Me to Understand: Jesus never tires of explaining things to us. He says to his disciples later in the Gospel of Mark: “And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mk 8:17-21). No, Lord. We do not always understand your ways, and neither did the disciples. Since we have fewer than five loaves—not enough time, not enough talent, not enough wisdom to do any good in this fallen world—remind us that you multiply my limited resources to bring about the Kingdom of God for the good of those I love and the whole world.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, you are Almighty! You show your awesome might by feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fish. You also show your power and might in my life when I find myself free of habitual sin, or witness a conversion I have been praying about, or when you bless an apostolic work you have asked me to do. Thank God you are Almighty!
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make a list of people for whom I feel called to intercede and pray for them.
For Further Reflection: Enjoy this live version of How Great is Our God, by Chris Tomlin.
Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.
January 7, 2026 – A Summons to Faith
Wednesday after Epiphany
Mark 6:45-52
After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.
Opening Prayer: As I quiet my heart, Lord, break open and explain these words of yours to me. I’m confused by them.
Encountering Christ:
- God Is Active: In this account of Scripture, Jesus shows us that he is actively in control of our lives. He makes the disciples get into the boat, dismisses the crowd, takes leave of them, goes to the mountain alone, and then very mysteriously, means to pass them by walking on water. When we remember that God is not a passive puppeteer, but takes a loving, active interest in our life, we’re less inclined to fall into self-reliance—a sin of pride. We lean on him, and Our Lord is delighted. He loves to calm our fears. “At once” he will speak with us, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.”
- Chewing On It: Why would Jesus see that his disciples are distressed and mean to pass them by? Would he do that to me? Msgr. Charles Pope, of the Archdiocese of Washington, wrote the best brief explanation of this phrase: Jesus intended to stop and to reveal himself, as he did in four other parts of the Bible where “passing by” means God revealing himself. Jesus summons us to faith, Msgr. Pope says. I had to research this passage to understand what Jesus might have meant, and Msgr. Pope says, spiritually speaking, “more mileage is gained” when we take the time to really ponder (and sometimes google) Scripture passages that we don’t understand.
- They Were Completely Astounded: What a relief to know that the disciples, who accompanied Jesus, saw his miracles, and loved him, were often astounded and confused by what they experienced or what Jesus said. In today’s culture, an unbeliever would disparage the concept of mystery. “If it can’t be explained, it’s not true,” they would claim. In our life of faith, however, “mystery” is a frequent answer to the question of suffering or to the existence of miracles. When we embrace mystery as a spiritual reality, Our Lord showers grace upon us, which increases our faith and enriches our hope beyond our imaginings.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, you are my God and my King. I understand very little about you except what you’ve revealed through the Scriptures and to my soul through prayer. Deepen my knowledge of you, Lord, and, as the man with the demon-possessed son said, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” (Mk 9:24)
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will do some spiritual reading to deepen my understanding of Scripture.
For Further Reflection: Pray this traditional Act of Faith:
O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; I believe that your Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived.
Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.
January 8, 2026 – Let Me Not Presume
Thursday after Epiphany
Luke 4:14-22
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
Opening Prayer: I beg you, Lord, to amaze me as I try to deeply ponder this experience you had in Nazareth. Send your Spirit upon me to open my mind and enkindle my heart.
Encountering Christ:
- Jesus? The Messiah?: Nothing seemed amiss to the members of the Jewish synagogue the day that Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah—until Jesus proclaimed himself the Messiah in front of everyone! Jesus, the neighbor down the street, the carpenter, the dutiful son of widowed Mary… with the full attention of the townsmen claimed to fulfill Isaiah’s seven-hundred-year-old prophecy about the Messiah. Perhaps even more astounding was the crowd’s reaction. They “spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.” With what authority and magnetism must Jesus have spoken! Jesus speaks to our hearts with the same dynamism so that we, too, may “speak highly of him” to family, friends, and neighbors.
- Living in the Spirit: Our Lord’s reputation had preceded him to Nazareth. He had been praised wherever he preached. Here, where everyone knew him, the men must have wondered what he would say. They must have been on the edge of their seats. The Scripture says that Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and I imagine that the Spirit worked overtime in the silent pause after Jesus read and before he revealed himself to the congregation. Did the Spirit find fertile and receptive souls, and help these men accept the astonishing news they heard from Christ’s lips? Holy Spirit, penetrate any hardness of heart you find within us so that Christ’s words resonate deeply and bear for us the fruit of understanding, wisdom, and zeal.
- Lasting Fruit: Coming in the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ greeted, touched, spoke to, and read the Scriptures to the men in the synagogue that day. He also revealed himself to them. What a privilege they received! At first, they responded well, but just a few verses later we hear that those same men, enraged with fury, planned to hurl him down the cliff. What changed? Jesus had challenged them to recognize that he was not just a popular preacher but the greatest of prophets and the fulfillment of the Old Testament. The two Old Testament stories Jesus quoted infuriated them. Was their hometown boy implying that he was something greater? The Spirit wants to set us straight when we presume to know more about God than we do. God is forever a mystery!
Conversing with Christ: Lord, I want to love you with a pure heart for who you are—my Lord and my God. Let me not diminish this truth by allowing presumption to creep into my soul. Although you are my friend and I know you love me, you are also my Creator and Redeemer, deserving of all my love, praise, and worship.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will delve more deeply into the sin of presumption so as to avoid it at all costs!
For Further Reflection: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2092: There are two kinds of presumption. Either man presumes upon his own capacities (hoping to be able to save himself without help from on high), or he presumes upon God’s almighty power or his mercy (hoping to obtain his forgiveness without conversion and glory without merit).
Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.
January 9, 2026 – Touch Me, Lord
Friday after Epiphany
Luke 5:12-16
It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
Opening Prayer: Lord, I assume the position of the leper, prostrate before you, pleading with you to enlighten me and make relevant to my life this Scripture, as I reflect on the cure with which you blessed this man two thousand years ago.
Encountering Christ:
- Touch Me, Lord: The leper in this story broke lots of societal rules to obtain his cure from Jesus. First, he approached Jesus. Lepers at the time were forced to live apart from the community because they were considered unclean both physically and morally. Second, the leper failed to announce himself by declaring he was “unclean,” a requirement of the law. Third, the leper prostrated himself and worshiped (cf. Mt 8:2) a “man,” knowing that good Jews worshiped only God, never man. What courage he had! Or was it total desperation that motivated him? Jesus knew the leper’s mind and willed to make him clean. The scene recalls those closing moments at Benediction when, being blessed by the monstrance, Jesus reaches out to touch each one of us and then bless the whole world. No matter how “unclean” we are, whether we’re absolutely desperate or full of faith, Jesus will never hesitate to stretch out his hand to give us a restorative blessing.
- Prostration: Lepers were prohibited from carrying their contagion into inhabited places, much less prostrating themselves before anyone healthy. There’s something very beautiful about this man’s prostration before the Lord. Priests prostrate themselves as part of their ordination. They also prostrate themselves during the Good Friday liturgy. I’ve occasionally seen people prostrate themselves before the monstrance at our parish adoration chapel. Prostration evokes a prayerful attitude of humility. Whether prostrated, kneeling, or sitting in a favorite prayer chair, our bodily posture can put us in the proper disposition for prayer by helping to quiet our senses.
- A Pattern of Holiness: The last line of this Gospel reading tells us that Jesus interspersed chaotic preaching and healing ministry with times for solitude and prayer. We too live chaotic lives full of meaningful activity, all of which hopefully gives glory to God. But do we also schedule a regular time for solitude and prayer? By his example, Jesus teaches us that prayer—the deep, mental, focused, dedicated kind—is essential for living all other aspects of our lives in accordance with God’s will. Our worldly duties and responsibilities often scream for our attention while Jesus whispers, “I miss you. Have you prayed today?”
Conversing with Christ: Lord, I believe that you want to touch me profoundly each day when I pray, but it can be so hard to meet you there. Help me, Lord, to make my daily time of prayer habitual. I know that the blessings you shower upon me in my solitude with you help me to maximize the rest of my day and give glory to you.
Resolution: If I’m not praying regularly, today by your grace I will choose the best time of my day and “make a date” with the Lord. If I have a regular prayer time, I will review my habits to see how I can improve my attentiveness (hide the phone, set a timer, etc.).
For Further Reflection: I will review the four step structure for prayer laid out by Father Bartunek, LC in The Better Part:
- Concentrate
- Consider
- Converse
- Commit
Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.
January 10, 2026 – Discovering Humility
Saturday after Epiphany
John 3:22-30
Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing. John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there, and people came to be baptized, for John had not yet been imprisoned. Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew about ceremonial washings. So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.” John answered and said, “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ, but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.”
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant me true humility to recognize your saving grace in my life.
Encountering Christ:
- Humility Sees Truth: John’s disciples are worried about competition between their charismatic leader and Jesus. But John’s heart is pure and his intentions are noble. He does not seek personal gain or fame. He desires to be what God called him to be, a voice crying out in the desert to prepare the way for the Lord. John is humble. John knows who he is before God and, consequently, he can recognize Jesus—the one he has been preparing for his whole life. John’s virtue didn’t manifest overnight. He fasted and sought to listen to God’s voice throughout his life. His fasting was not merely from food, but from the pride and vanity that tempt man to set up oneself as a Messianic figure. His heart was ready to meet Jesus, because his whole life was already oriented to respond to God’s heart from the moment he leapt in Elizabeth’s womb. His martyrdom would be a continuation of the dying to self that had taken place in his total living for God.
- Joy, Not Jealousy: John gently prods his disciples not to be jealous, but rather to rejoice, for the bridegroom is in their presence. John admits that even the power to baptize is not his own. “No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven.” He does not claim to be the Messiah. He does not claim to possess the prize of the bride, that union with God as Jesus possesses it. He merely claims the right to listen, take in the Word, and rejoice. Receiving God’s Word made flesh is the greatest joy any of us can receive. With John, we proclaim, “So this joy of mine has been made complete.”
- A Righteous Response: After expressing his joy at the presence of Jesus, John defines the key to fully living the Christian life, “He must increase; I must decrease.” Jesus, the only truly and fully righteous one in whom there is no sin, is the way by which we become righteous again. We are “set right” by baptism, that entry into the life of Christ. And so, the righteous response for us all is, as John the Baptist proclaims, “He must increase; I must decrease.” Christ’s life must reign more fully in me until “I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, by your gracious design you invite me into divine life through your life in me. Help me to see the truth of myself, recognizing any obstacles that prevent you living within me more fully.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will ask for the gift of true humility and spend five to ten minutes speaking to you about removing any obstacles to humility in my soul.
For Further Reflection: Fr. Mike Schmitz on Overcoming Jealousy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbuSPJ0gSp4.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala, https://rcspirituality.org/book/mary-magdalene-insights-from-ancient-magdala/.
January 11, 2026 – The Mystery of Baptism
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Matthew 3:13-17
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Opening Prayer: Jesus, come to my soul and teach me to do your holy will.
Encountering Christ:
- It Is Right and Just: We hear these words in the Holy Mass: “It is right and just, always and everywhere to give you thanks for your great glory…” Praise to God is the proper and just response to so great a God. Yet, in this passage Jesus is not inciting people to praise him. He approaches John to be baptized. He puts himself in the place of the unrighteous who need repentance. Jesus’ response to John reveals what it truly means to be righteous: “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus takes the place of sinners to fulfill God’s saving plan. That is the meaning of righteousness—obedience to the Father’s will.
- Revelation and Reward: The Father proclaims his joy at the obedience of his Son. Suddenly a voice is heard: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus did not even hold onto his own “reputation” as the righteous one. He accepted the role of repentant sinner by asking to be baptized. His obedience is rewarded by the appearance of the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, and the affirmation of his Father. A Trinitarian revelation takes place. We get a glimpse into the dialogue of love that takes place in the communion of persons in the Trinity.
- Trinitarian Epiphany: The Dynamic of Self-Gift: Jesus’ abasement for the sake of his Father’s plan of salvation reflects his eternal gift of self to the Father. The revelation of the Father’s audible affirmation of his Son reflects the eternal love for his Son. And the Son receives that affirmation with joy and continual surrender to the Father’s desire. The Holy Spirit’s presence reflects the eternal love that exists in the dialogue of self-gift between the Father and the Son. We are invited to enter into this dynamic of self-gift. It began in our baptism. Our everyday response to be obedient to the Father creates, in a mystical sense, this Epiphany of the Trinity in our soul. Far from an abstraction and mere idea, it is a profound yet unseen reality taking place within.
Conversing with Christ: Holy Trinity dwelling in me, grant me the grace to respond with the same righteousness as Jesus. Help me to hear and be obedient to your will throughout my day and respond with an intentional and loving self-gift.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will be attentive to the ways I may be living a false sense of righteousness in my judgments towards others, and the ways I can live a true righteousness in my efforts to be obedient to the Father, with charity in thought, word, and deed as the touchstone of my self-giving.
For Further Reflection:
Song: “Something in the Water” by Carrie Underwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH9kYn4L8TI
Article: https://aleteia.org/2018/01/08/why-we-celebrate-christs-baptism-close-to-the-epiphany/.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi who is dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote “Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala,” https://rcspirituality.org/book/mary-magdalene-insights-from-ancient-magdala/.
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