On the day of the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus, Sunday 12 January, like every year, Pope Francis administered baptism to some newborns in a mass he presided over in the Sistine Chapel. “Today they are in charge”, the Pope recalled at the beginning of the celebration, “and we must serve them, with the Sacrament, with prayers”, he said, addressing the parents. In the homily, the Pontiff expressed only a few words of prayer for children about to receive the sacrament of Christian initiation: «We ask the Lord that they grow in faith, in true humanity, in the joy of family.” This year, 21 children were baptized by the Pope, children of Vatican employees and the Swiss Guard.
Concelebrating the liturgy were Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, papal almoner, and Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
Subsequently, in the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis began by recalling that the feast of the Baptism of Jesus «It makes us think about many things, even about our baptism. Jesus joining his people to receive baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I like to remember the words of a hymn from today’s liturgy: Jesus goes to be baptized by John: “with a naked soul and bare feet”. And when Jesus receives baptism the Spirit is revealed: “You are my beloved Son: I am well pleased with you”. The face and the voice. First of all the face. In revealing himself as Father through the Son, God establishes a privileged place to enter into dialogue and communion with humanity. It is the face of the beloved Son. In second place is his voice saying: “You are my beloved Son”. And this is another sign that accompanies the revelation of Jesus.”
The Pontiff continued: «Today’s celebration makes us contemplate the face and voice of God, which are manifested in the humanity of Jesus. So let’s ask ourselves: do we feel loved? Do I feel loved and accompanied by God or do I think that God is distant from me? Are we capable of recognizing his face in Jesus and in our brothers? Are we used to listening to his voice? And I ask you a question: Does each of you remember the date of your baptism? This is very important. On what day was I baptized? If we don’t remember it, Francesco continues, once we arrive home we ask our parents and godparents the date of our baptism. And an invitation: «Celebrate the date as a new birthday, that birth in the Spirit of God. Don’t forget, this is a job to do at home: the date of my baptism».
At the end of the Angelus, the Pope addressed his prayer to the inhabitants of Los Angeles affected by devastating fires. He remembered the baptized newborns and their families, the beatification today of Don Giovanni Merlini, missionary of the Precious Blood, also invoking his intercession «as we pray for peace, in Ukraine, in the Middle East, in the entire world, underlining, once again, that “war is always a defeat”.
Yesterday, January 11th, Pope Francis had a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden, who gave the Pontiff the Presidential medal for freedom (the Presidential Medal of Freedom)the most prestigious US civilian award.
(Photo Ansa)
