January 9.  Baptism of the Lord. C.   When Jesus had been baptized The Holy Spirit descended upon him.    When does a family begin and what is baptism all about?  Zodwa wanted to know, “Did Jesus really need to be baptised?  Surely he was already a child of God, God’s son.  Was he affirming baptism, a milestone, as the start of his public life and he wants us to follow too, as a starting point of a journey in faith?  But nowadays, the social events around a christening don’t  seem very spiritual to me.  Godparents, or at least one, should be Catholic and should be chosen as rolemodels of the faith. Does that happen?  Something to think about.“  Anna added, “In many parishes today there are more moms coming with babies than couples.  So I ask if  baptism is for the family or for the child?” Becoming an eco-friendly family:  How can you act out the ecological responsibility of the baptized?

Now when all the people had been baptized by John and Jesus had also been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3: 15-22.   Pope Francis: Christ’s work penetrates the depths of our being and transforms us radically making us adopted children of God and sharers in the divine natures. It thus modifies all our relationships, our place in this world and in the universe and opens them to God’s own life of communion.   LF42