Devotion for Tuesday, January 5th

Our assigned reading for today is from Luke 3:1-20. Today’s assigned commentary from the Treasury of Daily Prayer can be found below.

The Presence of Water in the Life of Christ

“How mighty is the grace of water, in the sight of God and His Christ, for the confirmation of Baptism! Never is Christ without water: He who is Himself baptized in water (Matthew 3:13-17); inaugurates in water the first display of His power when invited to the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11); in His preaching, He invites the thirsty to His own eternal water (John 7:37-38; John 4:6ff); He approves, among the works of charity, the cup of water offered to a poor child (Matthew 10:42); He gathered His strength at a well (John 4:6); walks over the water (Matthew 14:25ff.); calms the waves (Mark 4:39); and serves His disciples with washing by water (John 13:5). Even His Passion bears witness to the power of Baptism’s waters, for while He was being handed over to the cross, water intervened and was a witness against Pilate’s hands (Matthew 27:24). And when He is wounded, after His death, water bursts forth from His side that had been pierced with the soldier’s lance (John 19:34)!”

— Tertullian