At our baptism, we were truly “grasped by Christ” (Phil 3:12); that’s where the love in our life began and where its seed grows and flourishes: we have been loved first!
At Christ’s baptism, the Father said lovingly to Him, “You are my beloved Son. I am well pleased with you” (Mt 3:17); the Father said the same to us at our baptism.
Do you ever think of yourself this way? Does it impact your daily life? Do you know the date of your baptism? How do you celebrate that day? Could family baptism dates be celebrated?
At baptism, we are given our only life-long vocation: to enter into an ever deepening friendship with Christ and to radiate His love light, life, and presence to our world at each new stage of life, in any way we can, to change the world around us.
When the Father, at the touch of the Spirit, drenched us with Christ, he had a special purpose for us: a dream for our life that no one else could accomplish.
What is the overall dream/purpose of your life that keeps you going in its ups and downs?
Christ’s mission was always to help others feel good about themselves in his presence; He wants to do this again through us in the world today.
We are chosen and called by name: “The Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.” (Is 49:1) “I will never forget you. See, I have carved your name in the palm of my hand.” (Is 15-16) Talk about love!
Lent, a sacred time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving gives us time to reflect on our baptismal consecration/commitment/vocation to take up Christ’s love, light, life, and presence to the world; this Lent stress giving, not giving up; giving-up starts with giving. PRAYER: How can you create some special time just to be with Christ this Lent? FASTING: How did you fast when you were a kid? Last year? How can you fast in a different manner this year to make it more meaningful? ALMSGIVING: What can you do in-place-of or in-addition-to money-gifts?
How can we tie-together our sacred baptismal vocation to radiate Christ’s love, light, life, and presence to the world with new Lenten resolutions this year?
May this Lent be a Christ-filled one offered for a love-hungry world! If so, it will be a Lent that will keep on giving all year!
