Gospel of the Feast and Letter from Bishop Cullinan.
We celebrate this weekend, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ, so John declared before them all, ‘I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Now when all the people had been baptised and while Jesus after his own baptism was at prayer, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily shape, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’
Pastoral Letter for 2025
We have just begun the New Year. 2025 has been designated by Our Holy Father Pope Francis as a Jubilee Year of Hope. How blessed we are to have the Holy Father put before us the virtue of hope. Everyone I have spoken to about this has agreed it is so needed now. Many people are rightly worried about where the world is going and can be tempted to lose hope.
Human beings are by nature meaning- seeking creatures. We want to know who we are and where we are heading. Today there is a huge pressure on young and indeed not so young people to invent their own identity and meaning. Social media is full of people trying desperately to discover who they are and what life is about. I think that it is no coincidence that the epic sagas like Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and so many other such attempts to tell us about the bigger picture of our human story are so popular. But these sagas are nothing in comparison to the story of the Gospel.
The Christian story is the only complete way of explaining who created us and why, what we are made of, about the struggle between good and evil, about why we fall and how we can get back up again and how to navigate our way through life towards a definite destination which is communion with God, ultimately in heaven. Jesus Christ alone tells us the true story of humanity.
If you are worried about where the world is going and if you are seeking meaning then you are just like St. Peter who once asked Jesus, “To whom shall we go?” But Peter answers his own question saying, “Lord, You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Our Lord Jesus Christ is why we have hope. Christian hope is not mere optimism or feeling good about the future. It is a virtue built on the solid foundation of God’s strength, on God’s mercy, faithfulness and love. The Jubilee Year of Hope is a wonderful opportunity to concentrate on the hope which Christ holds out to all, to celebrate our faith and be encouraged to pass it on to others. We are commanded by Jesus Himself to go and make disciples.
So the year ahead is full of hope- the hope which does not disappoint. I am looking forward to visiting all the Pastoral Areas early in the year to see how together we can make the most of the year. Many events are planned but your own ideas and input is essential. May the Jubilee Year of Hope bring us many graces and blessings and may we use them to the full.
Mother Mary, intercede for us.
Sincerely,
+Phonsie