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| THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Image from dominicancooperator.blogspot.com via google.com |
Part of the mission ad gentes, that is to all the nations of the world, is to baptize those who will come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit [see Matthew 28: 19]. Surely, we won't be doing online baptism, but we can do online preparation for baptism for those who would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ through our online efforts and for those who have already believed and have been baptized already, to deepen their relationship, their Holy Friendship, with the Lord.
As we have stated earlier, we were only hoping to provide an avenue for the establishment of a deeper relationship with God through the Internet. However, it is also imperative that we share the Gospel of Holy Friendship within the immediate surrounding where we are and animate this environment with the Spirit of God and His love and Friendship. That is why it is encouraged that those who can should start reviewing our PSALMinary in order to be equipped about starting their own Cenacle wherever they may be.
Just to be sure, those who are interested are encouraged to start reflecting and meditating on the Gospel of Holy Friendship, John 13: 34-35; 15: 12-17, and ask for and welcome the Holy Spirit to inspire and move their hearts and minds in order to be led to the proper response to the call to Holy Friendship. Remember that we are not promoting just any type of friendship, we are promoting and proclaiming the Holy Friendship: a friendship which is based on God's love and holiness. Therefore, as Friends of God, one must, as in one's preparation for sacramental Baptism, be ready and truly committed to respond in the affirmative with regards to the questions about our Faith.
Furthermore, one has to commit to the fulfillment of the PSALM in his or her daily life:
[1] To pray personally, with a small community like one's family, and with the whole Church especially on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
[2] To live in simplicity in accordance with Gospel values particularly of holiness, obedience to the will of the Father, and humility.
[3] To use available time for the deepening of Faith, the strengthening of Hope and the concrete application of Love.
[4] To live out a Sacramental life and be in love with Christian liturgy.
[5] To accept the mission to proclaim the Gospel of Holy Friendship to all and to make friends of all nations.
The cyberspace is a great medium for the proclamation of the Gospel. But we must not be confined to the e-world. We must be able to concretely manifest what we do online in the particular realities of our actual life. For what profit can we gain if we inspire many through the Internet and yet be totally detached from the particular realities of our life?
The Lord is calling us to be His friends and He wants us to make friends of all nations. May we be inspired by His great manifestation of love and friendship by dying upon the cross that we may be redeemed from our bondage to sin and have the opportunity to be saved and gain eternal life.
Let us truly love one another.
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