Baptism of the Lord ©

INTRO: Imagine being given the newest SMARTPHONE with the latest technologies…..
• It has an amazing camera
• Stereo sound
• Practically unlimited memory
and
• Lightning speed
Its capabilities are almost endless.

Now imagine that you never turn it on and it just sits in your pocket! It’s good for nothing then!

At the beginning of every New Year the Church has designed this liturgy for all to be reminded of being BAPTIZED;

 of having water poured over us,
 cleansing us of original sin,
 making us temples of His glory,
 Initiating us into a church community!

And so this Mass is reminding us to turn on and use the capabilities of being baptized which are:

1. Becoming involved in our church community
2. Celebrating more often the sacrament of Reconciliation
3. And making ten minutes a day at minimum to pray

The world today can be pretty forceful in providing us with “THINGS” that are non-church oriented………. Many of which are good, but, many of which turn us away from becoming the best version of ourselves.

Most often it is the TV.

AS baptized people we really are saying CHURCH is it! ….. Jesus is our friend ….. His ways are my ways!

I do a lot of baptisms of infants here at IHM…. It never seems to surprise me that when I say:

“SHE / HE is baptized”
The whole crowd CLAPS!

It’s beautiful!
The community gathered rejoices that another one is brought into their community.

CONCLUSION

You might think today:
Where was I baptized?
Who were my Godparents?
Why was I baptized?
Do I “turn on” this precious gift?
Am I one in whom the Father is well pleased?