Dearest Brothers and Sisters!

1. Today, on the liturgical feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Christmas period ends, which this year we lived with intensity and an altogether singular participation. Indeed, the Great Jubilee began on Christmas Eve, with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter's.

    This Christmastide gave us a new opportunity to recall the "event" that took place 20 centuries ago, which changed the course of history forever: the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem.

    In remembering Jesus' birth, we celebrated the great mystery of the Redemption, which we will particularly reflect on during the entire course of the Jubilee. The Son of God became man so that humans could be raised to the dignity of adoptive children of God.

2. Today's feast of the Baptism of the Lord invites us once again to this intimate union with divine life. As in past years, so today I had the joy of administering the sacrament of Baptism to some babies in the moving atmosphere of the Sistine Chapel. There were 18 altogether: 8 girls and 10 boys, from Italy, Brazil, Spain, the United States and Switzerland. In the context of the Jubilee Year, which is a time of grace, joy and renewal of life, this celebration of the sacrament of Baptism is for all of us a renewed call to return to the roots of the Christian vocation. By communicating divine grace to us, all the good that we accomplish with God's help, in fact has its basis in Baptism, which makes us children of God and incorporates us in the Community of believers.

3. Let us entrust to Most Holy Mary, Mother of the Savior, the baby boys and girls who received Baptism today, their families, godfathers and godmothers, and their Christian community. May the Blessed Virgin accompany them with her maternal protection on the road of growth in the Faith and make them participate increasingly in the mystery of salvation that today opened in them.

    May Our Lady also help us so that in this Jubilee Year we may increasingly correspond with our baptismal promises, nourishing day after day the flame of faith that was given to us at the beginning of our Christian existence. (ZENIT Translation) ZE9900010924