The Baptism of the Lord
- St Paul's Catholic Parish
- Jan 11
- 5 min read
Collect Prayer
Almighty ever-living God, who, when Christ had been baptized in the River Jordan and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, solemnly declared him your beloved Son, grant that your children by adoption, reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, may always be well pleasing to you. Through our Lord…
Readings
Isiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalm 29 Acts 10:34-38
Matthew 3:13-17
At that time: Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented.
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said,
''This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.''
Readings Next Sunday (Second Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Isiah 49:3, 5-6 Psalm 40 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 John 1:29-34
Saints of the week
Tu 13 | St. Hilary of Poitiers, bishop and doctor of the Church
Fri 15 | Marcellus, pope and martyr
Sat 16 | St. Anthony the Abbot.
The Baptism of the Lord
According to the account of the Evangelist Matthew (3:13–17), Jesus came from Galilee to the River Jordan to be baptized by John.
Although it was called “Baptism” it did not have the sacramental value of the rite we are celebrating today; as you well know, it was actually with his death and Resurrection that Jesus instituted the sacraments and caused the Church to be born. What John administered was a penitential act, a gesture of humility to God that invited a new beginning: by immersing themselves in the water, penitents recognized that they had sinned, begged God for purification from their sins and were asked to change wrong behaviour, dying in the water, as it were, and rising from it to new life.
For this reason, when John the Baptist saw Jesus who had come to be baptized queuing with sinners he was amazed; recognizing him as the Messiah, the Holy One of God, the One who is without sin, John expressed his consternation: he, the Baptist, would himself have liked to be baptized by Jesus. But Jesus urged him not to put up any resistance, to agree to do this act, to do what is fitting “to fulfil all righteousness”.
With these words Jesus showed that he had come into the world to do the will of the One who had sent him, to carry out all that the Father would ask of him. It was in order to obey the Father that he accepted to be made man.
This act reveals, first of all, who Jesus is: he is the Son of God, true God as the Father; he is the One who “humbled himself” to make himself one of us, the One who was made man and who accepted to humble himself unto death on a cross (cf. Phil 2:7).
The Baptism of Jesus, which we are commemorating today, fits into this logic of humility and solidarity: it is the action of the One who wanted to make himself one of us in everything and who truly joined the line of sinners; he, who knew no sin, let himself be treated as a sinner (cf. 2 Cor 5:21), to take upon his shoulders the burden of the sin of all humanity, including our own sin. He is the “servant” of Yahweh of whom the Prophet Isaiah spoke in the First Reading (cf. 42:1). His humility is dictated by the desire to establish full communion with humanity, by the desire to bring about true solidarity with man and with his human condition.
Weekly News
Patronal Feast of the Parish
On Sunday 25th January we will celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. The fraternal lunch will be on Sunday 1st February at 2pm in Palia Ilektriki with Bishop Bruno.
Cemetery's Collection
Next Sunday extra retiring collection for the maintenance of the cemetery.
Children's Group
The children of our parish are invited to join the Children’s Group every Sunday at 11.30am at the Shop. The Gospel of the Sunday will be explained to them so that they can follow the Mass in a more fruitful way.
Age: 3–10 (children younger than 5 must be accompanied by one of their parents).
Caritas St. Paul's
Thank you for your prayers, contributions, food and clothes donations … we can also reuse your shopping bags. If you wish to volunteer, please, contact fr. Alessandro.
Pray For Vocations
The Latin Vicariate of Cyprus is dedicating a Year of Prayer for Vocations to the priesthood, religious, married or consecrated lives. Join us! For more information contact Sister Elizabeth (95983631 / pastoralcareofvocationscyprus@gmail.com)
Parish Community Shop
Refreshments, coffee and tea. Check our religious section for rosaries, Christmas Cards, scapulars, devotionals, etc. Check also our books sections. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet other parishioners and grow as community. All funds will go to the building of the new Church. If you’d like to volunteer, please talk to Fr. Ismael.
Mass schedule
12-18 January
Mon: No Mass;
Tue, Thu, Fri: Masses at 9:00am in Agia Kyriaki
Wed: Mass at 12:00pm in Agia Kyriaki
Saturday: Masses at 4:30pm (AK); 6:15pm (town of Polis)
Sunday: Masses at 10am, 11am & 12pm (AK)
Eucharistic Adoration: Wed 10:50am ; Thu 6pm in Agia Kyriaki
Filipino Mass on last Sunday of the month at 12pm.
Sri-Lankan Mass on 3rd Sunday of the month, 12pm (Presbytery chapel)
Prayer for Vocations to Consecrated Life
Oh God, who call those you wish to follow your Son, Jesus Christ, in His very way of life and mission, send your Spirit to strengthen those you have consecrated to yourself: nuns, monks, religious men and women, hermits, consecrated virgins, consecrated widows and widowers, members of Societies of Apostolic Life.
We thank you for the precious gift of their lives and their testimony. Grant them faithfulness in their vows, courage to live their vocation with passion. Help them bring the light of your gospel to all, reflect your love, and be clear sign of your Kingdom through their lives and mission.
Send your Holy Spirit to those you call to consecrate their lives to you and those who are discerning this path, so that they may hear your voice clearly and respond with trust and generosity. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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