Even the gospels shares only a few basic facts about the childhood of Jesus (even gospels according to Mark and John do not tell any details about it) and then straight away describe his ministry as an adult man.

Today’s feast is not meant only to remind us our baptism, that is the main task of Lent, it rather refers and would like to remind us: that Christ is still acting in this world. His ministry, his proclamation of the salvation which has started when he was baptized by St John the Baptist has never been ended. His death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven  and finally the descending of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, began only a new dimension of his ministry to the humanity. Now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Risen Lord is present in every corner of the earth, and still searching the people in order to bring them back to God, and give them a new life and a new identity of God’s children.

And till the end of times the mission of Jesus is described in this words he had spoken to Nicodemus:

For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.

And once a while we hear about a great sinner who converted his life to Christ. Just one example.

Last year in February died Bernard Nathanson who oversaw the performance of about 75,000 abortions before becoming a leading pro-life advocate. For more than a decade after he became pro-life, Nathanson described himself as a Jewish atheist, but in December of 1996 he was baptized a Catholic by Cardinal John O’Connor in a private Mass with a group of friends in New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He also received confirmation and first Communion from the cardinal. About his baptism, he said, “I was in a real whirlpool of emotion, and then there was this healing, cooling water on me, and soft voices, and an inexpressible sense of peace. I had found a safe place.” Many people were deeply moved by his life story which can be find in his autobiographical book ‘The hand of God’ . But is just an example showing that for God there is no person which he abandoned and does not want to bring back home – His home in Heaven.

So just try to think about the people that you know left the Church, abandoned the faith. They desperately need Christ, as every one of us, bring them by your prayers here: at the foot of this altar. In a few moments here the same Jesus Christ will be present, with the same power which the people in Galilee experienced 2000 years ago.

And still keep in mind, he doesn’t abounded the World, the Church , your family and yourself. But to experience his real presence in your life, you must open the door of your heart. He wants to give you the fullness of life. Amen.

Today’s  feast tells us some many important truths which we have to be reminded about.

Those Three Wise Men, from a far distant land, telling us, that in every human being is a desire for God and truth and they are so many people in the world nowadays who searching God with sincere hearts.

Edith Stein – St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. A famous figure in the Catholic Church – born in the Jewish family at the later stage  became an atheist philosopher but finally discover God and became Catholic and then join the Carmelite Order and finally gave up her life in the concentration camp in Auschwitz Birkenau, when she was describing her life said: “Consciously or unconsciously, the search for Truth is the search for God.”

But today’s shows us even something greater, telling us that there is also God’s desire to meet the people, that is the very reason why Jesus was born in Bethlehem. God does not want to limit his revelation only to the one nation, as Jews understood. Every person is equal – every nation is equal in  God’s eyes.

So we are invited by God to a intimate relationship with Him. But we are also invited by God to a deeper understanding of his revelation. Because when we love someone we want to get to know that person better. We have to know who we are as Catholic, what are believes are. Because otherwise we start to lose our identity and then we start to lose our faith.

For that reason Pope Benedict XVI 3 months ago proclaimed the year of faith for the whole Church, and it is going to begin in October. Explaining the reason for that year Pope said:

We cannot accept that salt should become tasteless or the light be kept hidden. The people of today can still experience the need to go to the well, like the Samaritan woman, in order to hear Jesus, who invites us to believe in him and to draw upon the source of living water welling up within him. We must rediscover a taste for feeding ourselves on the word of God, faithfully handed down by the Church, and on the bread of life, offered as sustenance for his disciples . Indeed, the teaching of Jesus still resounds in our day with the same power: “Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life” . The question posed by his listeners is the same that we ask today: “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” know Jesus’ reply: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” . Belief in Jesus Christ, then, is the way to arrive definitively at salvation.

So try to think what you can do yourself to get deeper understanding of your faith. Maybe a first step will be to get some good books about our faith, or maybe even start to study the Catechism of the Catholic Church yourself?

Better knowledge of God will bring you consolation and desire to share that faith with your beloved ones and the people you live among.

That effort will bring the same joy as the Wise Men experienced when they found Baby Jesus in a manger.

Amen.

Some photos from the Youth 2000 Munster retreat. Time of joy and experiencing the Risen Lord! The Holy Spirit is preparing his people to bring the Gospel to all corners of this nation. It was a great privilege to be a part of this event!

“We must hold firm to our profession of faith.” Hbr 4:14