Dear Brothers and sisters
May the Lord give you peace!
As I promised I came back here quite soon. The reason is that this community is important for me, it is important for our Catholic Church in Cyprus. But there is another reason: today, we gather to celebrate a joyous occasion—the baptism of this precious child: Charbel… Baptism is a beautiful sacrament that marks the beginning of a lifelong journey with God. It is a moment of grace, love, and new beginnings. I decided to celebrate the Baptism of Charbel in the celebration of the Mass, in the celebration of Sunday because it is the community gathered here that welcomes Charbel…. one is not a Christian alone, one is not a Catholic alone….
As we baptize this child today, we are reminded of the promises God makes to each of us. Through baptism, we are welcomed into the Christian community, cleansed of original sin, and given the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a sacrament that unites us with Christ and with one another. The characteristic, the particularity of being Catholic is “unity”, united with Christ, with the Holy Father (I was with Pope Francis four days ago, and He sends to all of you his greetings and blessing. United with the bishop, the priests, with the brothers and sisters….
Parents and godparents, you have a special role in this child’s spiritual journey. Your love, guidance, and example will help nurture their faith. It is through your actions and words that this child will come to know the love of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Today, we gather too to reflect on the readings for the (22nd) Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our readings invite us to consider the essence of true worship and the importance of aligning our actions with our faith.
In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses instructs the Israelites to observe the commandments of the Lord without adding or subtracting from them. He emphasizes that obedience to God’s laws is a testament to their wisdom and understanding in the eyes of other nations. This call to fidelity is not just about external compliance but about internalizing God’s commandments and living them out authentically. The great risk of all religions is to live only on rites, appearances, falsehoods… and worse still: to teach falsehoods… We want as a community to teach, to educate Charbel to the Truth that is Christ… to the beauty of the most Christian.
Indeed, in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus confronts the Pharisees and scribes who criticize His disciples for not following traditional rituals of purification. Jesus responds by quoting Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mark 7:6). He emphasizes that what defiles a person is not external factors but the evil intentions that come from within. Jesus calls us to focus on the purity of our hearts rather than mere outward observance of rituals.
These readings collectively highlight a central theme: authentic worship is not about external appearances but about a genuine relationship with God that transforms our hearts and actions. It is easy to fall into the trap of going through the motions of religious practices without allowing them to penetrate our hearts and change our lives. True worship involves a sincere commitment to living out God’s commandments in our daily interactions and decisions.
As we reflect and let us ask ourselves: Do our actions reflect the faith we profess? Are we more concerned with outward appearances than with the state of our hearts?
In conclusion, let us remember that true worship is not confined to the walls of this church but extends to every aspect of our lives. May we be inspired by today’s readings to live out our faith authentically with hearts that are pure and actions that reflect the love and mercy of God.
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word that guides and challenges us. Help us to be doers of your word, living out our faith with sincerity and love. Purify our hearts and transform our lives so that we may be true witnesses of your grace. Amen.