ANGELUS REFLECTIONS ON THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

VATICAN CITY, JAN 10, 1999 (VIS) - Addressing the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square for the angelus, Pope John Paul reflected on today's feast of the Baptism of the Lord, recalling how Jesus went down into the Jordan river to be baptized by John, after which "the heavens opened ... and a voice was heard from above: 'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased'."

"In this scene," he added, "it is God Himself who, in a certain way, is manifested in his trinitarian mystery: the Father, the principle and source of life and holiness; the Son, who came into the world to free it from sin and death; the Holy Spirit, who sustains with his strength the work of redemption."

The Holy Father then recalled that "this morning, in the suggestive setting of the Sistine Chapel, I conferred the first sacrament of Christian initiation on several children. Together with the parents and godparents let us give thanks to the Lord for the gift of life and sanctifying grace, which has made these children adoptive sons and daughters of God. Let us pray for them to grow in knowledge and wisdom of the Gospel; let us also pray for all the baptized that they, in answering the Lord's call with renewed fidelity, might always live in His love."

ANG;BAPTISM;...;...;VIS;19990111;Word: 220;