Who makes my life-decisions for me ?
January 18, 2026 Today’s Gospel speaks of Jesus as the CHOSEN one, the one who baptizes with the Spirit. It is clearly in harmony with the first reading which speaks of somebody who would become the light to the nations, and the second reading which speaks of all being sanctified through Christ. Such a ‘chosen one’ or the long-awaited pro phesied one, and not just any other charismatic leader, gives his followers something more tha n just a ny ordinary leader. Such a leader then becomes so meone we can follow without thinking, without having to second-guess our choices, because after all he is the chosen one, the one who was always meant to come and show us the way. Placing someone on a pedestal is the oftentimes common human response to any person who is considered extraordinary, to one who has charisma, who can somehow see ‘beyond’ what the rest of us can see, who has deep insight, who can motivate people to go far beyond themselves, and the like ....
