Category: The BAPTISM of the LORD

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEBRUARY - THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The BAPTISM of the LORD, The HOLY SPIRIT, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 13 January – The Baptism of the Lord

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 13 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – Octave Day of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6, John 1:29-34 –

“I saw the Spirit coming down as a dove
from the Heaven and He remained upon Him.”

John 1:32

“Jesus rises from the waters – the world rises with Him.
The heavens, like Paradise with its flaming sword,
closed by Adam for himself and his descendants,
are rent open. The Spirit comes to Him as to an equal,
bearing witness to His Godhead.
A Voice bears witness to Him from Heaven,
His place of origin.
The Spirit descends in bodily form like the Dove
which, so long ago, announced the ending of the flood
and so, gives honour to the Body, Who is One with God.”

St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Christ was born of the Holy Spirit
and, since it was fitting,
that He should fulfill all justice,
He entered into the waters of baptism
to sanctify them.
When He left the Jordan,
He was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Who had descended upon Him,
in the form of a dove.
As the Evangelist tells us:
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,
returned from the Jordan.”

St Gaudentius of Brescia (Died 410)

Posted in BAPTISM, CATECHESIS, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The BAPTISM of the LORD, The HOLY SPIRIT, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 January – ‘ … Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God … ‘

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 13 January – Octave Day of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6, John 1:29-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And I knew Him not but He who sent me to Baptise with water said to me: He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, He it IS, Who Baptises with the Holy Spirit. And I saw and I gave testimony that this is the Son of God.” – John 1:33-34

REFLECTION – “Jesus Christ was the Son of God, yet He preached not the Gospel before His Baptism. If the Master Himself followed the right time in due order, ought we, His servants, to venture out of order? From that time Jesus began to preach (Matthew 4:17) , when the Holy Ghost had descended upon Him in a bodily shape, like a Dove, (Luke 3:22) not that Jesus might see Him first, for He knew Him even before He came in a bodily shape but, that John, who was Baptising Him, might behold Him. For I, says he, knew Him not but He that sent me to Baptise with water, He said to me, upon Whomsoever you shall see the Spirit descending and abiding on Him, that is He (John 1:33).

If you too have unfeigned piety, the Holy Ghost comes down on you also and a Father’s Voice sounds over you from on high — not, ‘This is My Son’ alone because ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.’ To Him belongs the ‘IS’ since He is always the Son of God – but to you, has now been made, since you have not the sonship by nature but receive it by adoption. He eternally ‘IS’ but you receive the grace progressively.

Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God and an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17); if, indeed, you are preparing yourself that you may receive; if you are drawing near in faith that you may be made faithful; if of set purpose, you are putting off the old man!” – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Father and Doctor of the Church (Catechetical Lecture 3: 14-15).

PRAYER – O God, Whose Only-begotten Son appeared in the substance of our flesh, grant, we pray Thee that we, who acknowledge His outward likeness to us, may deserve to be inwardly refashioned in His Image. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", BAPTISM, CHRIST the SUN of JUSTICE, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on POVERTY, QUOTES on The HUMAN SOUL, The BAPTISM of the LORD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The INCARNATION, The LAST THINGS

Quote/s of the Day – 13 January – ‘… Putting off the old man!’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 13 January – Octave Day of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6, John 1:29-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Make ready then the vessel of your soul
that you may become a son of God
and an heir of God
and joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17);
if, indeed, you are preparing yourself
that you may receive;
if you are drawing near in faith
that you may be made faithful;
if of set purpose,
you are putting off the old man!”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Let us become like Christ,
since Christ became like us.
He assumed the worse,
that He might give us the better;
He became poor,
that we through His poverty,
might be rich.”

St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Ah Jesus, Sun of Justice,
make me clothe myself with You,
so that I may be able to live
according to Your will.
Make me, under Your guidance,
preserve my robe of Baptismal innocence,
white, holy and spotless
and present it undefiled,
before Your tribunal,
so that I may wear it,
for eternal life.”

St Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)

“If we wish to make any progress
in the service of God,
we must begin everyday of our life,
with new eagerness.
We must keep ourselves,
in the presence of God,
as much as possible
and have no other view or end,
in all our actions
but the divine honour.”

St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)

“Anyone who takes life seriously
in the Christian sense,
will regard it as a difficult journey
towards perfection and towards God.
This journey will be, at the same time,
painful and joyful.
… It is our own loss if we sit down lazily
on the side of the road,
which should lead us to Heaven.
It is even more disastrous,
if we acknowledge defeat
and lay down the spiritual weapons
of prayer and renunciation,
in order to surrender ourselves to sin or to indifference.
Everyday we should say to ourselves,
in the presence of God –
A new life is beginning …
in You, by Your grac and for You!
Amen”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The BAPTISM of the LORD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 January – ‘ … Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God … ‘

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 13 January – Octave Day of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6, John 1:29-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And I knew Him not but he who sent me to Baptise with water said to me: He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, He it IS, Who Baptises with the Holy Spirit. And I saw and I gave testimony that this is the Son of God.” – John 1:33-34

REFLECTION – “Jesus Christ was the Son of God, yet He preached not the Gospel before His Baptism. If the Master Himself followed the right time in due order, ought we, His servants, to venture out of order? From that time Jesus began to preach (Matthew 4:17) , when the Holy Ghost had descended upon Him in a bodily shape, like a Dove, (Luke 3:22) not that Jesus might see Him first, for He knew Him even before He came in a bodily shape but that John, who was Baptising Him, might behold Him. For I, says he, knew Him not but He that sent me to Baptise with water, He said to me, Upon whomsoever you shall see the Spirit descending and abiding on Him that is He (John 1:33).

If you too have unfeigned piety, the Holy Ghost comes down on you also and a Father’s voice sounds over you from on high — not, ‘This is My Son’ alone because ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.’ To Him belongs the ‘IS’ since He is always the Son of God – but to you, has now been made, since you have not the sonship by nature but receive it by adoption. He eternally ‘IS’ but you receive the grace progressively.

Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God and an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17); if, indeed, you are preparing yourself that you may receive; if you are drawing near in faith that you may be made faithful; if of set purpose, you are putting off the old man!” – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Father and Doctor of the Church (Catechetical Lecture 3: 14-15).

PRAYER – O God, Whose Only-begotten Son appeared in the substance of our flesh, grant, we pray Thee that we, who acknowledge His outward likeness to us, may deserve to be inwardly refashioned in His Image. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in ADVENT QUOTES, ADVENT REFLECTIONS, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The BAPTISM of the LORD, The WORD

Advent Reflection – 6 December – “I am unworthy” – Mark 1:7

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Advent Reflection – 6 December – The Second Sunday of Advent, Readings: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11, Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14 (8), 2 Peter 3:8-14, Mark 1:1-8

“Prepare the way of the Lord
make his paths straight” – Mark 1:3

“I am unworthy to stoop down to loosen the thongs of his sandals” – Mark 1:7

REFLECTION – “Jesus came to John to be baptised by him. John tried to prevent him, saying: “I need to be baptised by you and yet you are coming to me?” (Mt 3:13-14)
“I am the voice, the voice crying in the wilderness – prepare the way for the Lord.”
So I cannot be silent, Lord, in Your presence. I “need to be baptised by You and do You come to me?” (…)
You existed from the beginning, You were with God and You were God (Jn 1:1). You are the radiance of the Father’s glory, the perfect image of the perfect Father (Heb 1:3). You are the true light enlightening every person who comes into the world (Jn 1:9). You were in the world yet You have come to where You were already. You have become flesh but You have not been changed into flesh. You have lived among us, appearing to Your servants in the likeness of a servant (Jn 1:14; 14:23; Phil 2:7). You, by Your holy name have bridged heaven and earth and do You come to me? You, so great, to such as I? King to herald, Master to servant? (…)

I know the distance between the earth and the Creator, between the clay and the potter.
I know how far I, a lamp lit by Your grace, am outshone by You, the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 3:20; Jn 5:35).
You are concealed by the pure cloud of Your body but I still recognise Your sovereignty.
I acknowledge my servile condition; I proclaim Your greatness.
I admit Your absolute authority and my own lowly estate.
“I am unworthy to undo the strap of your sandal;” how then could I dare to touch Your Immaculate Head?
How could I stretch out my hand over You, who “stretched out the heavens like a tent,” and “set the earth upon the waters” (Pss. 104[103]:2; 136[135]:6)? (…)
Surely it is not for me to pray over You, for You are the one who receives the prayers even of those who have no knowledge of You.” – Homily attributed to Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus the Wonderworker (c 213-270) Bishop (His life: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/17/saint-of-the-day-17-november-st-gregory-thaumaturgus-the-wonder-worker-c-213-c-270/)

MEDITATION – Bombarded as we are by a deafening decibel culture; battered by commercialism; bruised by the relentless onslaught of a consumerist society; dazed and dazzled as we are by tinsel, trash and trinkets; overwhelmed by fake news, fake viruses, fake politicians, fake economies – we need the wilderness of silence and solitude – to make that most intimate and intricate journey – the wilderness of our heart. The heart of our Advent preparation is the preparation of our heart.

PRAYER – Almighty and merciful God, let neither our daily work nor the cares of this life prevent us from hastening to meet your Son. Teach us Holy Father God, silence and solitude, to hear and learn, then lead us into the company of Your Son, as He comes to save us! And may His Mother and ours, the most pure Virgin Mary be our intercessor and advocate. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on SIN, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The BAPTISM of the LORD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 19 January – ‘He has come down to earth to take you to heaven…’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 19 January – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, – Readings: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6, Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-10, 1 Corinthians 1:1-3, John 1:29-34

“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.”

John 1:32

“He has come down to earth to take you to heaven, He became mortal that you might become God and put on your original beauty.”

St Romanos Melodios (c 490-c 556)

Monk, Composer of Hymns, Poetjohn-1-32-i-saw-the-spirit-come-down-like-a-dove-he-has-come-down-to-earth-st-romanus-melodios-3-jan-2020

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BAPTISM of the LORD

Quote/s of the Day – 12 January – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 12 January – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

“He wants you to become
a living force for all mankind,
lights shining in the world.

You are to be radiant lights
as you stand beside Christ,
the great light,
bathed in the glory of Him
who is the light of heaven.”

St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)
Father & Doctor of the Churchhe-wants-you-to-become-a-living-force-st-gregory-of-nazianzen-13-jan-2019 and 12 jan 2020.jpg

(An excerpt from Oration 39 – On Holy Light)

“O Lord, wishing to fulfil all things
that You ordained before the ages,
You received the servants of Your mystery,
from among the Angels, Gabriel,
from among Men, the Virgin,
from among the Heavens, the Star
and from among the Waters, the Jordan,
in which You washed away the sin of the world,
O our Saviour, glory to You.”

St John Damascene (675-749)
Father & Doctor of the Churcho lord wishing to fulfil all things - st john damascene - 7 jan 2018.jpg

Posted in BAPTISM, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BAPTISM of the LORD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 January – ‘..The Father reveals, that His Son is to be worshipped by all the nations.’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 12 January – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord,
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7, Psalm 29:1-4, 9-10, Acts 10:34-38, Matthew 3:13-17

And when Jesus was baptised, he went up immediately from the water and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw, the Spirit of God, descending like a dove and alighting on him... Matthew 3:16matthew 3 16 behold the heavens were opened - 12 jan 2020.jpg

REFLECTION – “At Christmas, He was born a man, today, He is reborn sacramentally. Then He was born from the Virgin, today, He is born in mystery.
When He was born a man, His mother Mary held Him close to her heart; when He is born in mystery, God the Father embraces Him with His voice when He says: ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, listen to him.’
The mother caresses the tender baby on her lap, the Father serves His Son by His loving testimony.   The mother holds the child for the Magi to adore, the Father reveals, that His Son is to be worshipped by all the nations.
That is why the Lord Jesus went to the river for baptism, that is why He wanted His holy body, to be washed with Jordan’s water.at christmas he was born a man today he is bor sacramentally st maximus of turin 5 jan 2019.jpg

Someone might ask, “Why would a holy man desire baptism?”  Listen to the answer: Christ is baptised, not to be made holy by the water but to make the water holy and by His cleansing, to purify the waters which He touched.  For the consecration of Christ involves a more significant consecration of the water.
For when the Saviour is washed, all water for our baptism is made clean, purified at its source for the dispensing of baptismal grace to the people of future ages.
Christ is the first to be baptised then, so that Christians will follow after Him with confidence.” … St Maximus of Turin (c 380-c 465)christ is baptised not to be made holy but to make the water holy - st maximus of turin 12 jan 2020.JPG

PRAYER – Father, keep us from vain strife of words.
Grant to us constant profession of the Truth!
Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith
so that we may hold fast to that
which we professed when we were baptised
in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
that we may have You for our Father,
that we may abide in Your Son
and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Amen…St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father and Doctor of the Churcho-holy-trinity-prayer-for-perseverance-in-truth-st-hilary-of-poitiers-13-jan-2018 and 12 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, The BAPTISM of the LORD

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – 12 January – St Gregory Nazianzen

Posted on by AnaStpaul

This feast marks the ending of the Christmas season.   Traditionally, the event of Christ’s Baptism was linked with the visit of the Magi and the wedding feast of Cana as two additional “manifestations” of God with us.

Matthew’s simple account of the Baptism ends with the heavenly voice introducing “my beloved Son.”   Here, at the end of our focus on the mystery of Christmas, we are invited to welcome the Beloved One into our midst once more and to prepare ourselves through the Sundays which follow to hear His proclamation of Good News.

Many have expressed the wish that the spirit of Christmas last all through the year. Christians take that responsibility seriously – We want to make the meaning of Christmas—the fact that God has come to dwell with us in Jesus Christ — the central fact of life. And, we want all we say and do to help express, to make manifest, that basic truth.   Merry Christmas, one more time!goodbye-christmastide-13-jan-2019 AND 12 JAN 2020-for-this-he-bore-our-body-st-basil-the-great.jpg

The Baptism of Christ
A sermon by St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Christ is bathed in light, let us also be bathed in light.
Christ is baptised, let us also go down with Him and rise with Him.

LORD BAPTISM.JPG

John is baptising when Jesus draws near.   Perhaps He comes to sanctify His baptiser, certainly He comes to bury sinful humanity in the waters.   He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake and in readiness for us, He who is spirit and flesh comes to begin a new creation through the Spirit and water.

The Baptist protests – Jesus insists.   Then John says:  I ought to be baptised by You.   He is the lamp in the presence of the sun, the voice in the presence of the Word, the friend in the presence of the Bridegroom, the greatest of all born of woman in the presence of the firstborn of all creation, the one who leapt in his mother’s womb in the presence of Him who was adored in the womb, the forerunner and future forerunner in the presence of Him who has already come and is to come again.   I ought to be baptised by you – we should also add, “and for you,” for John is to be baptised in blood, washed clean like Peter, not only by the washing of his feet.

11580-baptism-of-christ-el-greco.jpg

Jesus rises from the waters – the world rises with Him.   The heavens, like Paradise with its flaming sword, closed by Adam for himself and his descendants, are rent open.   The Spirit comes to Him as to an equal, bearing witness to His Godhead.   A voice bears witness to Him from heaven, His place of origin.   The Spirit descends in bodily form like the dove that so long ago announced the ending of the flood and so gives honour to the body that is One with God.

baptism of the lord - daniel bonnell not a mormon.jpg

Today, let us do honour to Christ’s Baptism and celebrate this feast in holiness.   Be cleansed entirely and continue to be cleansed.   Nothing, gives such pleasure to God, as the conversion and salvation of men, for whom His every word and every revelation exist.   He wants you to become a living force for all mankind, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the great light, bathed in the glory of Him who is the light of heaven.   You are to enjoy, more and more, the pure and dazzling light of the Trinity, as now you have received – though not in its fullness – a ray of its splendour, proceeding from the one God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever.   Amen.

721px-Guido_Reni_-_The_Baptism_of_Christ_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg