CHRISTMAS HOLY FAMILY DAY @ OLOL INCLUDES A BAPTISM..........

Earlier this month we put into effect the practice of celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism. at one of the three Sunday Masses each month in rotation. Today is a last exception to that schedule, due to the homecoming of the father from Iraq, of the newborn being baptized.  Underscoring the practice of the Catholic-Christian Faith and our Discipleship in Jesus the Christ our Lord and Savior, is imperative to making and keeping Baptismal promises, and the institutional Church, as well as individual parishes, priests, and deacons, must be committed to challenging our people and expect them to meet standards of practice, participation, and presence, in the life of the Community of Believers. Before Baptism is celebrated with persons and families who are dwelling in the shadows of our religious Faith, barely on the periphery the Church, they must show evidence that practicing their Catholic-Christianity is a priority for them.  For far too long, the institutional Church sanctioned an approach of baptizing everyone who walked through the doors, without requiring anything of them but a perfunctory promise to fulfill their Catholic-Christian duties.  Thank God, the post conciliar Vatican II, Catholic-Christian Church requires sacramental preparation for the parents and godparents of infants and children under age 6, requesting Baptism.  And the Rite of Christian Initiation for adults and children, above the age of reason -  goes a long way to assuring there is some sincere and regular practice of the Faith, beginning with Sunday Mass attendance on the part of baptismal families.  The example of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, in keeping the precepts of Judaism, is a vital reflection of the way of life we as Catholic-Christian Disciples must maintain, if we are to be true to what we profess.  Baptism and the Sacraments are not magical moments, or a big event, detached from practicing the Faith we profess. Being baptized is integral to sharing in the sacred mystery of Living our Faith not by lip service or showmg up at church on special occasions only, but by witnessing daily and weekly to the primacy of our Discipleship in Jesus the Messiah, our Lord and Redeemer...........Fr.  Troy