Feast of The Baptism of the Lord

Feast* of  

 The Baptism of the Lord 

*(Where the Solemnity of the Epiphany is transferred to Sunday, if this Sunday occurs on Jan 7 or 8,

the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the following Monday.)

"Jesus comes out of the water, drawing the world with Him and raising it up when it had hitherto been sunk in the abyss... Here all is in perfect harmony, for the testimony comes from heaven, just as He to whom the Spirit bears witness has come down from heaven." -St Gregory Nazianus



The light from the Holy Spirit appears to be falling directly into the shell being used to pour the water of baptism over Jesus' head. Instead of dipping the shell into the river, the Baptist seems to be lifting up the shell to receive in its hollow, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Anointing from above.  Likewise, in its hollow, the chalice at Mass receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Artist:  Andrea del Verrocchio).

From Tertullian's Treatise on Baptism...

a lyrical tribute to the role of water

in the whole economy of salvation.

"What favour water has with God and with His Christ!
Thus is the meaning of baptism confirmed.
Numquam sine aqua Christus!
Never does Christ appear without water!

Christ Himself is immersed in water.
Invited to the wedding feast, it is water that inaugurates the first-fruits of His power.

When He preaches, it is to invite the thirsty to His everlasting water.  When He teaches of sacrificial love (agapé), He recognizes the cup of water offered to one's neighbor as a work of love.

He rests beside a well of water.
He walks upon the waters, freely crossing over its waves.
He serves His disciples with water, by washing their feet.

These signs of baptism extend even to His Passion.
When He is condemned to the death of the cross, water appears: it is for the hands of Pilate.
When He is pierced by the soldier's lance, water gushes from His side."

You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

From today’s Liturgy:  Responsorial psalm (Isaiah 12:3)

National Vocation Awareness Week will be celebrated in the United States -  January 9-14, 2012.  Let us beseech Our Lord for more dedicated, holy priests, deacons and consecrated men and women.  May they listen attentively to the Holy Spirit,  be surely supported by their families and  faith community, and respond courageously and generously to God's gracious call and gift.

Heaven on earth

 

 

 

 

"May the Holy Eucharist

and perfect abandonment

 to God's will

be your heaven on earth."

 

 

Bl. Marie Anne Blondin

 

 

In continued, concerted prayer in NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK: 

Lord, my God and my loving Father,
You have made me to know You, to love You, to serve You,
and thereby to find and to fulfill myself.
I know that You are in all things,
and that every path can lead me to You.
But of them all, there is one especially
by which You want me to come to You.
Since I will do what You want of me,
I pray You, send your Holy Spirit to me: into my mind,
to show me what You want of me; into my heart,
to give me the determination to do it,
and to do it with all my love, with all my mind,
and with all my strength right to the end.  Amen.  

Anticipation

 

"You were wondering how to use

those moments when you wake up

in the night.  Speak to Me of love,

ardently desiring your next Communion.

...Call Me by the gentlest names,

even when you are half asleep."

Our Lord to Gabrielle Bossis

Excerpted from He and i

In continued, concerted prayer in NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK: 

O God, we earnestly ask You to bless this archdiocese with many priests, Brothers, and Sisters who will love You with their whole strength and

gladly spend their entire lives  to serve your Church and  to make

You known and loved.

Bless our families, bless our children. Choose from our homes those needed for your work.

Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us, pray for our priests, Religious, and deacons. Obtain for us many more.  ~  Most Rev Harry J Flynn

We learned it from Him!

"My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly Drink."

 

 

Painting:  The Last Supper - Vasili Nesterenko 1997

 

 

 

"When we speak of the reality of Christ's nature being in us,

we would be speaking foolishly and impiously--had we not

learned it from Him. For He Himself says: `My Flesh is truly food,

and My Blood is truly drink. He that eats My Flesh and drinks

My Blood will remain in Me and I in him (John 6:56-57).'

 

 

As to the reality of His flesh and blood, there is little room left

for doubt, because now, both by the declaration of the Lord Himself

and by our own faith, it is truly Flesh and truly Blood.

And these Elements bring it about, when taken and consumed,

that we are in Christ and Christ is in us. Is it not true?

 

 

Let those who deny that Jesus Christ is true God be free

to find these things untrue. But He Himself is in us through the flesh

and we are in Him, while that which we are with Him is in God."

 

 

 

St Hilary of Poitiers

300 - 368

Bishop and Doctor of the Church

"Hammer of the Arians"

 A favorite motto of St. Hilary:

Ministros veritatis decet vera proferre,

"Servants of the truth ought speak the truth."

FEAST DAY - January 13

 

 

 

This is how Hilary summed up the problem

with the Arian heretics* of the fourth century:

 

"They didn't know who they were."

 

*Arius, whose followers were called Arians, felt that God created Christ, not of his own matter.

This meant, in his opinion, that Christ was not God and was not divine.

Therefore, worshipping Christ would be tantamount to worshipping another god,

and this specifically went against God’s teaching that He alone should be worshipped.

 

 

Ste Hilary, ora pro nobis!

 

 

 

In continued, concerted prayer in NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK:

 

“Lord, help me to want to be what YOU want me to be.” -  Steve Woods

 

 

 

His heart is open!

 

Sacred Heart of Jesus: Smith Catholic Art

 

 

"The heart of Jesus is an open heart.

Spend your time there."

 

 

Bl. Teresa of Calcutta

 

 

Photo:  3/20/07 ~ Boca Raton, FL -- The monstrance was blessed by John Paul II in 2004,

and is one of six used to inspire priestly vocations around the world.

 

 

 

  

 

 In continued, concerted prayer in NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK:

 

 

“Jesus called to Him those whom He Himself desired” (Mk 3:13)

 

My Jesus, only as Thou willest, when Thou willest, and in the way Thou willest!

To Thee be all glory and thanksgiving, Who rulest all things mightily and sweetly,

and Who fillest the earth with Thy manifold mercies. Amen.

Refining fire

 

Woman giving thanks after Communion ~ Alphonse Legros

"The Holy Eucharist is a fire that purifies

and consumes all our miseries and imperfections.

Do everything in your power

to make yourself worthy of the Eucharist,

and this Divine Fire will take care of the rest."

St. Hyacinth of Mariscotti

In continued, concerted prayer in NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK: 

Parents Prayer for Vocations   (Mrs. Dorothy Foss)

Gracious and loving God you have blessed us with the privilege of becoming parents. We ask that you provide us with all that we need in accepting this awesome responsibility. We pray that we will be open to your spirit who is our source of strength as we witness to our children your love for each of them and your desire for them to be happy and to live a full life.

We ask your help so we may guide and encourage our children to believe that they each have a special calling and to use their gifts and talents for others.
We pray, Heavenly Father,that our children will discover and respond enthusiastically to your desire for them whether it be to the vocation of single, married, ordained or consecrated life.

We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus through the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

He draws us to Himself

"He draws us to Himself by grace, by example,

by power, by lovingness, by beauty, by pardon,

and above all by the Blessed Sacrament. 

Everyone who has had anything to do with ministering

to souls has seen the power which Jesus has. 

Talent is not needed.  Eloquence is comparatively unattractive.  Learning is often beside the mark.  Controversy simply repels....  

All the attraction of the Church is in Jesus,

and His chief attraction is the Blessed Sacrament."

Fr Frederick William Faber

 

In continued, concerted prayer in NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK: 

 

Prayer to Know our Vocation

My Lord Jesus Christ, who did die for my salvation, I implore You, through the merits of Your passion, to give me light and strength to choose that state of life which is best for my salvation. Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears. Let me know what You desire from me, and I will do all; and let me especially know in what state You desire me to serve You; make known to me the way in which I should walk, in order to reach heaven.  Loving Mother Mary obtain this grace for me through your powerful intercession. Amen. 

 

FEAST of the BAPTISM of our LORD

FEAST of the BAPTISM of our LORD

and

National Vocation Awareness Week*

 January 9-15, 2011

El Greco

Saint John the Baptist seems to be gazing into the heavens. He sees the heavens opening and the Holy Spirit descending. The light from the Holy Spirit appears to be falling directly into the shell he is using to pour the water of baptism over Jesus' head. Instead of dipping the shell into the river, El Greco shows the Baptist lifting up the shell to receive in its hollow, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Anointing from above.  So too the chalice at Mass is raised to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

From Tertullian's Treatise on Baptism...

a lyrical tribute to the role of water

in the whole economy of salvation.

"What favour water has with God and with His Christ!
Thus is the meaning of baptism confirmed.
Numquam sine aqua Christus!
Never does Christ appear without water!

Christ Himself is immersed in water.
Invited to the wedding feast, it is water that inaugurates the first-fruits of His power.

When He preaches, it is to invite the thirsty to His everlasting water.
When He teaches of sacrificial love (agapé), He recognizes the cup of water offered to one's neighbor as a work of love.

He rests beside a well of water.
He walks upon the waters, freely crossing over its waves.
He serves His disciples with water, by washing their feet.

These signs of baptism extend even to His Passion.
When He is condemned to the death of the cross, water appears:
it is for the hands of Pilate.
When He is pierced by the soldier's lance, water gushes from His side."

 

PLEASE pray daily through this week for vocations!

*Through Baptism you invite us to fullness of life in knowing, loving and serving You.  Awaken the hearts of many among us to rise up in courage and generosity to respond to Your call in JOY - as holy priests, sisters, brothers and deacons.  AMEN!