Today is the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. (Sunday Cycle A/Weekday Cycle 1)The Christmas season is now fading away. The Christmas tree has been given over to the shredder or the incinerator, and the decorations look tired and out of place. The bottles have gone to the collecting bins and we are anxious to get rid of all the evidence of the festive season. A new year with all its resolutions, is uppermost in our minds. The prayers of the Mass move on also. The days of the Bethlehem stable with its simplicity is behind us. The wise men have taken a different road home. The shepherds are back on the cold hills and there is no music beyond the mountains nor do they see lights in the night sky. It is time for normal living when the daily human plod takes up its rhythm again. Jesus had no need to go down to the Jordan river along with those who sought repentance and a new life free from the sins of the past. He had proved his unity with the human race by being born in a shepherd’s cave outside Bethlehem. Perhaps it his gesture of going down into the river that Jesus emphasised his unity with sin-stained humanity. That is why the early Church celebrated the feast of the Incarnation. Jesus Christ, our saviour would not pick his steps carefully through the sordid path of human sin, but He would be there with forgiveness and endless understanding. At our baptisms many of us were given a name which our parents borrowed from our family history. Here in the Jordan, the Lord calls out a name for Jesus, a name that always belonged to Him: “This is my Son, the Beloved…” (Matthew 3:17). At our baptism we were given a name, and also we were defined by God as his beloved children. Baptism says that we should no longer be defined by others. Blacks should not be defined by whites, Catholics should not be defined by Protestants, Protestants should not be defined by Catholics, the oppressed should not be defined by their oppressors. St. Paul puts it directly: “For in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God. For as many of you as were baptised there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 3:28-29).We celebrate this feast today; because it was the first act in Jesus public ministry and it is a very public definition of who he is …“You are my Beloved Son.” Your baptism and mine are the same. We have been defined forever as God’s children, and no one should be allowed to take that identity from us, or deface it, or make us ashamed of it. And we have been given a mission at baptism, namely to do the works of Christ and continue his Mission. Baptism makes us “beloved children” forever. The late Pope Emeritus Benedict XV1 said: “Through Baptism each child is inserted into a gathering of friends, who never abandon him in life or in death….This group of friends, this family of God, into which the child is now admitted, will always accompany him, even on the days of suffering and in life’s dark nights; it will give him/her consolation, comfort and light” (8/1/06)
Thank you for your very generous weekend collection. It came to £1755. We appreciate your kindness and your support.
A word of thanks also for the crib collection for the local St. Vincent de Paul conference in Enniskillen. We will have the final total collected in next weekend’s bulletin. Your generous out-reach to our neighbours who are struggling with financial difficulties and other issues are noteworthy. May the Lord bless your magnanimous hearts!
A word of thanks alsoto our Readers, Ushers, Singers, and Ministers of the Eucharist who help in the smooth running of our religious services.
The Church cleaning group for January will meet to clean our Church after the 7:00 pm Mass on Wednesday 11th January. If you would like to volunteer please leave your name and number at reception.
Confessions Sunday & Monday no duty. Mass Monday @ 7pm – Arthur (Tues to Fri 2pm – 5pm. Sat 5pm – 6pm).
Tues –Brian. Wed – Victor. Thurs – Charles. Fri – Anthony. Sat – Anthony.
Shop: Open Tuesday to Sat – 9.30 – 7pm. Sunday 9.30pm – 4pm.
Exposition resumes on Friday next the 13th January 2023.
Recently Deceased
Monsignor Richard Mohan, Clones formerly Coonian
Sister Bridie Rogers, Convent of Mercy Enniskillen
Eileen Tracey, Omagh
Kathleen Breen, Cullion Road, Tempo
Eugene Tunney, Tempo
John Hallett, Hillview, Enniskillen
Frankie Hogan, Erne Drive, Enniskillen
Anniversaries
Sean & Mary Mc Cusker, Drumcor Hill, Enniskillen
The Mc Cusker family, Enniskillen
The Donohoe Family, Teemore
Frankie Burns, Enniskillen
Gerry Maguire, London formerly Mullymesker
Philip & Sarah Mc Glynn, Castlederg
Frank Mc Manus,Cornagreen, Boho
Cormac Gollogly, Surrey, England formerly Keady
John & Mary Mc Crossan, Glasgow
Kevin Melarkey, Enniskillen
James Mc Nulty, Roscor, Belleek
