“‘He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.’ It just wouldn’t have the same ring to it if it was a pigeon flapping over to sit on his head. It was, of course, a pigeon. Pigeons and doves, are, after all, members of the same family. The species we call the ‘common pigeon’ is the same as the ‘rock dove.’ It’s just that, in our culture, we think of pigeons as being kind of grimy. Uncouth. ‘Flying rats.’ But doves! Oh, doves! So beautiful, so intelligent! …I say all this because I think we often look at our lives and see pigeons where we ought to see doves. We feel the Spirit of God whooshing towards us and we cower and run, covering our heads with our handbags and ducking under an awning.” Greg preaches on the Baptism of Jesus, the first Sunday after the Epiphany.

Lectionary Readings:
Isaiah 42:1-9
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17
Psalm 29