“I am ashamed to come to church…What will people say about me? ...I am embarrassed to attend Sunday Divine Liturgy because….” We have probably all heard comments made by some of our own family members or friends about the reasons why they are holding back from attending church. What matters is how Jesus looks at me and not other people. Jesus looks at us and sees us as we are. Jesus always looks at the potential of the person. Think about the examples of saints. Jesus saw Simon not only as the fisherman, but Simon Peter the rock of faith and great apostle. Jesus saw Saul not only as the persecutor of Christians, but Paul the missionary and apostle. Jesus was aware that Zacchaeus was a cheat, but also the saint and helper of the poor. Jesus will always see in us the potential of what we can become.

The Lord can see in all of us the greatness that many can not see. Unfortunately, many of us are unable to see the spiritual gifts we have, to not only serve God, but to grow with Him in a loving relationship. The Birth of Jesus and His Baptism was the most important time in the history of humanity. God choose to send His only begotten Son, Jesus to be with man and woman. God’s love for us was the purpose of the Incarnation. We celebrated not only the birth of Jesus on the Great Feast of the Nativity, but also our way back home. The birth of Jesus was the first step of giving back humanity the road to be in the presence of God. “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba Father! Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son…an heir of God through Christ.” (Galations 4:4-7) Jesus came to us, not to make us His slaves, but to set us free. The Lord came to us in order to reestablish His relationship with us as our loving Father.

When we begin to see the spiritual potential in us, we can stop being a slave to sin, and live in a relationship with God as His son and daughter. The great gift we all share is the fact that God has chosen us. We rejoice in our adoption. God has made us unique. Man and woman are the only spiritual beings in the world created in the image of God. We are capable of knowing and experiencing God. “Hold in sacred honor the fact that we are born of God,” (St John Kronstadt).

The Baptism of our Lord celebrated on January 6th, celebrates the potential of man and woman. Jesus had no need of Baptism. He allowed St. John to baptize Him in the River Jordan in order to help us. “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The baptism of Jesus offered a way for us to be free from sin. To be free of sin will not happen over night. Jesus has given us a second gift at His Baptism. He has given us the gift of repentance, the gift of returning back to God. “Repentance is the renewal of baptism and is a contract with God for a fresh start in life” (St. John Climacus).

The New Year offers great opportunities for us. Our dream can become a reality. Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream. His Eminence, Metropolitan Anthony, of blessed memory had dreams. The martyrs and missionaries of the church had a dream. Our dreams can become a reality when we build ladders. We must be determined, dedicated and rooted in prayer. May we truly celebrate the meaning of Theophany, the Baptism of our Lord. The Theophany of Jesus celebrates the new life within us. God sees the greatness in all of us.