PRIESTS OF THE PARISH
Rev John Doherty PP Tel: 028 7188 2274
Rev Paul Farren Tel: 028 7188 3247

Sunday, 10th January 2010

The Baptism of Christ

John said to the crowd: 'He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire'. This week, as we celebrate the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, we also remember and renew our own baptism into Christ in the Church. And the baptism that we have been promised is a baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The Holy Spirit brings peace, joy, love etc. Is that how we live our faith or is it more with anxiety, fear, duty etc? Fire brings warmth, light, enthusiasm, hope. Is this how we present Christ to the world or is it more with coldness, lifelessness, joylessness? The challenge of this time is to change our ways and to let the world we live in know the power of Christ's presence among us by the enthusiasm of our lives of faith. This has to always begin in our homes and families and the community of faith we belong to.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

“This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.”

Jesus’ Baptism

Beloved Son of God,
Baptised by John,
We praise you and marvel at your humility.
You are one with us in humanity:
Lead us into the love of the Father,
To whom be thanksgiving now and always.

Sunday, 10th January 2010

The Baptism of Christ

First Reading :
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all people shall see it.

Second Reading: Acts of the Apostles 10: 34-38
God’s grace has been revealed and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God.

Gospel: Luke 3: 15-16.21-22
John declared, I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful than I am will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

The Gift of New Life

It is amazing how we have domesticated Baptism. Most of us were baptised when we were infants, and for that touch of divinity on our budding lives we are, of course, thankful. But we did not have to do much to be baptised. Our parents and godparents brought us to the church, the priest sprinkled water on us, and we received the stupendous gift of being buried to sin and of rising with Christ to life that would never end. But we wonder whether we have ever really appreciated what happened to us on our baptismal day. WE did not have to go through the long preparation adults must endure when they become Christians. All we had to do was be born and be brought to church. It was so easy, wasn’t it?

But the gift asks for responsibilities. And we are far from sure that we live up to them. If indeed our Baptism was a death to sin, why are our lives so stained by our personal sins? If we have risen to new life, why are we so much more fascinated by this passing scene than we are in the life that Jesus has opened to us? Some of us live as if Baptism has never happened, and perhaps most of us have never committed ourselves completely to living the new life. We have never become what we really are.

Somewhere in our lives we have to make our own what has already happened to us. Somewhere and sometime we will have to say: “I am a child of God; I must join the family circle; I must allow God really to be my Father.” In a word, we must become the Christians we already are.

Lord, on this day when we celebrate your baptism, let us celebrate also our own. Give us the nudge we need to live as if we were seeking Baptism and not as if we had forgotten we had ever received it.

Recent Collections
Last Sunday’s collection was £2,010.00.

The collection for Sunday 27th December was £2,074.00.
The collection for Sunday 20th December was £1,663.00. Many Thanks!

First Anniversary Mass

The First Anniversary Mass for the late Glenn Wilson will take place in the Sacred Heart Church on Monday 11th January at 7.30pm.

A Question to be Asked

Have you ever asked your parents why they had you baptised? Their answer might run something like this:

We were over the moon when you were born. You were the first/third/fifth, and we loved you as much as any of the other children.

We were so happy that you had arrived into the world safely that we wanted to do the best thing for you. So we brought you to the church, where the priest poured water over you in God’s name. Mum held you, well wrapped up. Dad was very proud and wore his best clothes.

Before you were born we spent some time discussing what Christian names we would give you. Once we held you we decided, and gave you the names by which you would for ever be known to us, to the world, and to God.

We wanted you to be part and parcel of God’s family and to have the benefit of Mass and the Sacraments.

We wanted you to have the support of our families, of the neighbours and of the parish. That day we gave you what was most precious to us: our love and our faith. You were our son/daughter. Our ‘favour’ was on you. It still is. And so too is God’s. We hope you will remember that all the days of your life.

To Parents of a New Born Child

• Baptisms are normally celebrated in Leckpatrick on Saturday at 7.45pm or on Sunday at 12.15pm.

• Each sponsor must not be less than sixteen years of age and must be a practising Catholic.

• Please bring a baptismal garment to the ceremony. The infant should not be wearing it coming to the church, but will be clothed in it by the priest at the appropriate point in the ceremony.

• Please bring a reasonably substantial candle to the ceremony. It is preferable that each child in the family should have his or her own baptismal candle.

• Note that Canon Law states that ‘parents, sponsors and parish priests are to take care that a name is not given which is foreign to Christian sentiment.’

• Please make arrangements with the priest in good time, and see that the baptismal card is completed three or four days before the ceremony at the latest.

• Kindly remember that the church is a sacred space, and is worthy of reverence and respect at all times, including the period when photographs are being taken after the ceremony.

• Finally, congratulations on the birth of your child! Your child’s baptism will be a special occasion for you and your family. It will also be a special occasion for our parish as we welcome your new born baby into the Christian community.