Pope Francis during Angelus | (VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto)
Pope Francis reflects on the Baptism of the Lord which, he says, serves as a reminder of the intimacy of God’s love, manifested in the humanity of Jesus, and invites believers to carry this love forward, living as children of the one Father who accompanies us at every step of our journey.
Addressing the faithful during his Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis reflected on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord that marks the close of the Christmas season.
Taking his cue from the Gospel of Luke, he invited Christians to contemplate the two elements highlighted in the reading: the face and the voice of God revealed at the River Jordan.
“The Gospel describes a scene of waiting,” Pope Francis said, “where Jesus steps forward to be baptized by John, joining the crowds who approach him with ‘a bare soul and bare feet.,” a scene, he said that is dear to him, and that highlights the humility with which the people came to receive the baptism of repentance.
The face and voice of God revealed
The Holy Father urged the faithful to reflect on God’s decision to reveal Himself through Jesus, establishing a special space for humanity to encounter Him.
“It is in the face of the beloved Son that we know who God truly is,” the Pope said.
The Pope also noted the voice of the Father that resounded during Jesus’ baptism, and he encouraged believers to embrace the transformative gift of baptism.
Don’t forget the date of your Baptism
Today’s celebration, the Pope said, invites us to deepen our personal connection with God by asking: “Do we feel loved and accompanied by God, or do we think He is far away from us? Do we listen to His voice?” He also posed a practical challenge: “Do we remember the date of our baptism?”
Recollecting the date of baptism, he said, allows believers to cherish the moment they were “reborn to new life” and incorporated into the mystery of Christ and the Church.
He concluded by urging every Christian to celebrate the date of their Baptism as if it were a birthday: “A birth into the spirit of God.”
Finally, the Pope turned to the Blessed Virgin Mary, inviting all to seek her intercession: “Let us entrust ourselves to the Virgin Mary and invoke her help,” he prayed.
Source: Vatican News