Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 3, 15-16, 21-22
The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”
You are a child of God through Baptism
1. Clean of soul. When you are about to be baptized you first receive the holy oil, which is linked to exorcism because its power is so great that it covers your soul for the rest of your life. Your soul belongs to God from that moment on. But also, your chest is anointed to mark your soul with this oil that is blessed by the bishop together with the priests on Holy Thursday. This has great significance, because it’s through the Church that the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon you, so that you become God’s property.
2. Water. It’s the symbol of purification, of bathing, of cleansing, and of life. When you were baptized your family presented you before your new spiritual family, the Church. That’s why when you receive the Sacrament of Baptism the priest says “I”, because he says it in the name of the Church he represents and then he mentions the Trinity because you become something divine at that moment, you are the very seat of God. Do you realize how important you are for God?
3. Holy Chrism. Finally, you receive the chrism on your forehead. It’s a fragrant and consecrated oil used to mark the entry of the baptized into the great family of the Church. Being baptized into the anointed body of Christ, you are called to be priest, by living a life of prayer; to be prophet, by announcing the Word of God; and to be king, by living with integrity. Also, the oil of catechumens is applied to your chest with the sign of the cross. This oil, a sign of strength, gives you the power to resist evil. Strengthened by the gift of God’s Spirit, you are guided and guarded by God on every step of life’s journey. In ancient times oil was used by athletes to grease their limbs before training, and by wrestlers to escape the grip of their opponents. This symbolizes strength in the fight against temptations, a sort of shield against sin. You will receive many blows in life, but the Chrism represents the strength of God which will be with you so that you can always get up.
And you must also remember that you are light and that’s why the candle that is lit is a symbol of God’s light that shines brightly in the world as a sign of hope and of the strength of love.
Come on! You are a Christian and you have the greatness of being a child of God, live your faith and make many fall in love with God through your life and with your life.
Today the liturgical season of Christmas ends and tomorrow we begin Ordinary Time until Lent. Don’t forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
