In those who welcome the Holy Spirit, He will live in us, filling us with joy and strength, to handle that which may even seem impossible to us.
Pope Francis pointed this out during his Angelus address today at noon, on the feast of Jesus’ Baptism. Drawing inspiration from the Gospel reading on Jesus’ Baptism in the River Jordan when there is the revelation from His Father, that ‘You are my beloved Son; with You, I am well pleased,” the Pontiff went on to call on those gathered to think of how they too are Children of God, given their own baptisms.
We are children of God through the Holy Spirit, the Pope stressed, noting the Spirit burns and destroys Original Sin and restores us to grace.
“The Spirit pushes our life down a demanding path, but one joyous in charity and solidarity toward our brothers,” he said, underscoring, He “gives us the tenderness of God’s forgiveness and pervades us with the invincible power of the Father’s mercy.”
The Holy Spirit, Francis also highlighted, “delivers us from the dominion of darkness, that is to say, of sin, and transfers us into the realm of light, that to say of love, truth and peace: this is the realm of light.
Opening Heart to All Truth
“Think of to what dignity Baptism elevates us! ‘See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are!’ (1 Jn 3:1) Francis said, quoting the Apostle John. “This stupendous reality of being children of God involves a responsibility of following Jesus, the obedient Servant, and to reproduce in ourselves His features: those of meekness, humility, tenderness.”
“And this is not easy, especially when all around us there is so much intolerance, arrogance, harshness. But with the strength that comes from the Holy Spirit, it is possible!”
The Holy Spirit, the Pontiff stressed, opens our hearts to the truth, the whole truth, and then posed a question to those gathered.
“Which of you knows the date of your baptism? Certainly, not all of you. Therefore, I invite you to go and search for the date, asking, for example, your parents, your grandparents, your godparents, or going into the parish. It is very important to know, because it is a date to celebrate: it is the date of our rebirth as children of God.”
Homework
He told them that finding out the day of their baptism is their “homework,” and stressed that, “Celebrating that day means and reaffirms our attachment to Jesus, with the commitment to live as Christians and members of the Church.”
Francis also reminded the thousands in the sunny Square that the Virgin Mary helps us to live our Baptism with joy and apostolic zeal. As usual, the Pope greeted the various groups present before wishing them a good lunch and good Sunday.
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On ZENIT’s Web page:
Full Translation: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/angelus-address-jan-10-on-our-baptism
