Baptism Mass:Baptism Mass:
"God wanted to save us by plunging to the bottom of the abyss of death himself, so that every man, even the one who has fallen so low that he can no longer see the sky, may find and take hold of the hand of God, rising up from the shadows to see once again the light for which he was made. We all feel, we all perceive within ourselves that our existence is a desire for life that cries out for a fullness, a salvation. This fullness of life is given to us in Baptism...."
"The Son of God, who from all eternity shares in the fullness of life together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, was 'immersed' in our reality as sinners, in order to make us share in his own life. This is why Christian parents, like you are doing today, bring their children to the baptismal font as soon as possible, knowing that the life that they have given to them calls out for a fullness, a salvation that only God can give. And in this way, the parents become co-workers with God in transmitting to their children not only physical life, but also spiritual life...."
"In order to grow up healthy and strong, these children need physical care and great attention; but what will be more necessary for them, and even indispensable, is that they know, love, and serve God faithfully, that they may have eternal life. Dear parents, be for them the first witnesses of authentic faith in God!..."
"Foster always, dear brothers and sisters, the flame of faith, by listening to and meditating on the Word of God, and through frequent communion with the Eucharistic Jesus. May you be helped in this stupendous, though not easy, mission by the patron saints whose names these thirteen children will take. May these saints help above all them, the children about to be baptised, to respond to your care as Christian parents. May the Virgin Mary in particular accompany them and you, dear parents, now and forever. Amen!"
"God wanted to save us by plunging to the bottom of the abyss of death himself, so that every man, even the one who has fallen so low that he can no longer see the sky, may find and take hold of the hand of God, rising up from the shadows to see once again the light for which he was made. We all feel, we all perceive within ourselves that our existence is a desire for life that cries out for a fullness, a salvation. This fullness of life is given to us in Baptism...."
"The Son of God, who from all eternity shares in the fullness of life together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, was 'immersed' in our reality as sinners, in order to make us share in his own life. This is why Christian parents, like you are doing today, bring their children to the baptismal font as soon as possible, knowing that the life that they have given to them calls out for a fullness, a salvation that only God can give. And in this way, the parents become co-workers with God in transmitting to their children not only physical life, but also spiritual life...."
"In order to grow up healthy and strong, these children need physical care and great attention; but what will be more necessary for them, and even indispensable, is that they know, love, and serve God faithfully, that they may have eternal life. Dear parents, be for them the first witnesses of authentic faith in God!..."
"Foster always, dear brothers and sisters, the flame of faith, by listening to and meditating on the Word of God, and through frequent communion with the Eucharistic Jesus. May you be helped in this stupendous, though not easy, mission by the patron saints whose names these thirteen children will take. May these saints help above all them, the children about to be baptised, to respond to your care as Christian parents. May the Virgin Mary in particular accompany them and you, dear parents, now and forever. Amen!"
2 comments:
"In order to grow up healthy and strong .. what is necessary for them, and even indispensable, is that they know, love, and serve and God.."
What an antidote to the message of the secularists who even now are calling into question the right of parents to give their children a religious upbringing.
Deliberately to deprive a child of the knowledge of God, of the love of God, of God's salvation, strikes me as one the most wicked things one could do.
Thank you, Father, for this post.
Just a thought about how baptisms should be celebrated...
The pope has continued with the more recent tradition of baptising new-borns within the mass on this feastday. I have always thought that it is appropriate for most christenings to be celebrated within the sunday mass since it is a sacrament of initiation. I feel this should be the norm although there will always be pastoral considerations that mean sometimes the rite outside mass would be more appropriate.
Do people agree?
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