This is Cardinal Francis George, and I invite you to join me for the next few minutes to

reflect with Father Robert Barron on the Word of God, which is the Word on Fire.

Father Barron will challenge us to open our hearts to the Word on Fire, which is God's

Word of Love for each of us.

If our hearts are open, the Lord can change and transform us, so that we might speak with

love about the one who is love.

The Archdiocese of Chicago through the generosity of Sacred Heart Parishing Winnetka now presents

the Word on Fire.

Peace be with you.

Friends today, we celebrate with the whole church around the world this great feast

of the baptism of the Lord.

It's the feast that brings to a close the Christmas season and some ways inaugurates

the ordinary time of the church's year.

It's a great feast for many reasons.

One is that it displays to us the deepest meaning of who God is.

We have in the reading for today one of the great theathenies in the New Testament, one

of the great manifestations and showings of who God is.

We also learn in this feast what the world is, what the world looks like at its best,

what we learn, what the church is.

You see what I meant when I said this is a very important feast packed with lots of

meaning.

Let me read to you first a little section from the Gospel from Matthew for today.

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