My dear parishioners and visitors.
Have a blessed week and Happy Feast Day: The baptism of the Lord.
The Christmas season ends on this Sunday with the solemnity of our Lord’s baptism. (Mk. 1. 7-11). Jesus’ baptism by John in the Jordan marks the beginning of his public ministry. It is the Epiphany-moment: the manifestation of the Blessed Trinity: “the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending…..and a voice came from heaven, you are my Son, the Beloved, and with you I am well pleased”.
This Trinitarian revelation is again revealed on Mount Tabor, the Transfiguration, seen and witnessed by Peter, James and John (Mt 17: 1-9, Mk 9:2-10, Luke 9:28b-36). The voice from heaven confirms the divine nature, the public ministry of our Lord as the Son of God and the glorious heavenly life.
Food for reflection: Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church: CCC # 1223-1225; 1277-1284.
The Baptism of our Lord reminds us of our own baptism. Baptism, being the 1st sacrament of the seven, is the “gateway” to life in the Spirit and the “door” giving access to other sacraments (CCC 1213). At our baptism we were made clean, purified from sins, reborn as a child of God, being the heir of His kingdom, incorporated into the Church and made a sharer in her mission (CCC 1265). Baptism is our birth as Christians. Our body and soul, by the power of this sacrament, became the dwelling place for the Blessed Trinity, the holy temple of God (I Cor. 3:16)
So remember always “glory and bear God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:20).
I would like to invite you taking times to read “Pope Francis’ suggested ideas for the New Year’s resolution”. Posted by Cindy Wooden, on January 1st 2015 in Catholic New Service.
Fr. Peter Hoan, Your pastor.
Pope Francis’ suggested New Year’s resolutions:
- “Take care of your spiritual life, your relationship with God, because this is the backbone of everything we do and everything we are.”
- “Take care of your family life, giving your children and loved ones not just money, but most of all your time, attention and love.”
- “Take care of your relationships with others, transforming your faith into life and your words into good works, especially on behalf of the needy.”
- “Be careful how you speak, purify your tongue of offensive words, vulgarity and worldly decadence.”
- “Heal wounds of the heart with the oil of forgiveness, forgiving those who have hurt us and medicating the wounds we have caused others.”
- “Look after your work, doing it with enthusiasm, humility, competence, passion and with a spirit that knows how to thank the Lord.”
- “Be careful of envy, lust, hatred and negative feelings that devour our interior peace and transform us into destroyed and destructive people.”
- “Watch out for anger that can lead to vengeance; for laziness that leads to existential euthanasia; for pointing the finger at others, which leads to pride; and for complaining continually, which leads to desperation.”
- “Take care of brothers and sisters who are weaker … the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the homeless and strangers, because we will be judged on this.”
- Making sure your Christmas is about Jesus and not about shopping.