Shalom

13 Jan Sun	Baptism of the Lord
	Is. 42: 1-4, 6-7 Ps. 28:1a and 2, 3ac-4, 3b and 9b-10 Acts 10: 34-38 Mt. 3:13-17

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Today marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. There are two baptisms recounted in the gospels: that of John the Baptist, and that of Jesus Himself. John's is a baptism of repentance, of conversion of life. Jesus' baptism is the sending of the Holy Spirit upon those who have been converted, which empowers them to live the new life which only Jesus can give.

The transition from John to Jesus holds a very important lesson for our life of faith today. The baptism of John must precede that of Jesus in our lives too. That is, we must first turn away from our sinful life (the baptism of John) before we can "put on the Lord Jesus" (as St. Paul beautifully expresses the new life to which we are called). The clean space which John's baptism creates in our hearts must be filled with the life of the Trinity which is the fruit of Jesus' baptism. The challenge for us today is twofold. Since most of us were baptised as infants, have I really renounced Satan and all his pomps now that I am old enough to choose for myself? And have I allowed the Lord's love to fill my heart? Jesus says it is dangerous to drive out one devil and then leave the house empty: seven devils worse than the first may take possession of the empty space in my heart. Have I truly been filled with the love of Christ?

Grant me, O Lord, to understand fully the meaning of my baptism and my call to serve You.

DAILY OFFERING

Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH

INTENTION
That Christians may intensify their efforts to announce together Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world.
Elaboration

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P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H

INTENTION :	That Christians may intensify their efforts to announce together Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world.
In the Apostolic Letter At the Beginning of the New Millennium Pope John Paul II looks towards the future and exhorts the members of the Church not to be afraid to leave the coastal waters "where there is nothing to fish" and move into deep waters. If we are prepared to do this, our catch will be abundant. The Pope particularly exhorts Christ's disciples to intensify their efforts to bring greater unity in the Christian Community. The invocation "Launch out into the deep" is a binding imperative, the strength that sustains us, and a salutary rebuke for our slowness and closed-heartedness. It is on Jesus' prayer and not on our own strength that we base the hope that even within history we shall be able to reach full and visible communion with all Christians. Our trust that we may succeed in attaining the full and visible communion of all Christians, "rests on Jesus' prayer, not on our own capacity". The Lord calls us to unity and will not fail to pour forth His grace on us. But in this context also, as in all our relations with God's salvific grace, we too must do our share. God does not save us against our will; God does not save us if we do not collaborate towards our salvation.
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