Believer in miracles
January 13th, 2008, 06:20 PM
http://www.zenit.org/article-21487?l=english
VATICAN CITY, JAN. 13, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI baptized 13 babies, giving them the sacrament that he said opened heaven for them.
In his homily for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Holy Father reflected on the "mystery of life": of the human life represented here by the newborns and the divine life that God gives to the baptized.
He said: "In baptism, the little human being receives a new life, the life of grace, which makes him capable of entering into a personal relationship with the Creator, and this forever, for all eternity.
"Unfortunately, man is capable of snuffing out this new life with his sin, closing himself up in a situation that sacred Scripture calls ‘second death.'
"While in the other creatures, who are not called to eternal life, death means only the end of existence on earth; in us, sin creates a precipice that we run the risk of falling from forever, unless the Father who is in heaven takes us by his hand."
This is the mystery of baptism, Benedict XVI explained: "God wanted to save us by going himself into the very depths of the abyss of death so that every man, even he who has fallen so deep into the abyss as to no longer see heaven, can find the hand of God by which he can climb back up out of the darkness to see the light again for which he is made.
"All of us feel, all of us interiorly perceive that our existence is a desire for life that invokes a fullness, a salvation. This fullness of life is given to us by baptism."
Turning to the babies' parents, the Pope said, "Certainly to grow healthy and strong, these children will need material care and much attention; but what will be more necessary for them, indeed indispensable, is to know, love and faithfully serve God, to have eternal life."
Baptism does not save! You have to first believe first and then be baptized!
Acts 8
36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him
VATICAN CITY, JAN. 13, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI baptized 13 babies, giving them the sacrament that he said opened heaven for them.
In his homily for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Holy Father reflected on the "mystery of life": of the human life represented here by the newborns and the divine life that God gives to the baptized.
He said: "In baptism, the little human being receives a new life, the life of grace, which makes him capable of entering into a personal relationship with the Creator, and this forever, for all eternity.
"Unfortunately, man is capable of snuffing out this new life with his sin, closing himself up in a situation that sacred Scripture calls ‘second death.'
"While in the other creatures, who are not called to eternal life, death means only the end of existence on earth; in us, sin creates a precipice that we run the risk of falling from forever, unless the Father who is in heaven takes us by his hand."
This is the mystery of baptism, Benedict XVI explained: "God wanted to save us by going himself into the very depths of the abyss of death so that every man, even he who has fallen so deep into the abyss as to no longer see heaven, can find the hand of God by which he can climb back up out of the darkness to see the light again for which he is made.
"All of us feel, all of us interiorly perceive that our existence is a desire for life that invokes a fullness, a salvation. This fullness of life is given to us by baptism."
Turning to the babies' parents, the Pope said, "Certainly to grow healthy and strong, these children will need material care and much attention; but what will be more necessary for them, indeed indispensable, is to know, love and faithfully serve God, to have eternal life."
Baptism does not save! You have to first believe first and then be baptized!
Acts 8
36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him