Pope’s Mass with Baptisms in Sistine Chapel: “Transmit
the Faith with language of the Family”
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| Pope administers Sacrament of Baptism in Sistine Chapel (Vatican Media) |
Pope Francis baptizes thirtyfour babies of Vatican employees
in the Sistine Chapel and tells parents to be the first to pass on the Faith to
their children.
By Seàn-Patrick Lovett
It was a celebration of contrasts: the stern gaze of
Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” staring down at the bustle of babies that on
Sunday morning transformed the Sistine Chapel into a make-shift nursery. And
then the somber voices of the Pontifical Choir chanting in counterpoint to the
gurgles and cries of the infants.
Pope’s off the cuff homily
Pope Francis appeared to enjoy every minute of it, blessing
each of the 18 baby girls and 16 boys in turn, and personally administering the
Sacrament of Baptism on all of them. This Sunday marks the feast day that
recalls Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan. Instead of delivering a scripted
homily, the Pope chose to speak briefly off the cuff. In Italian, he used the
word “dialect” to describe the “language” that needs to be used to guarantee
the transmission of the Faith within the Family.
The “language” of the Family
Families must find their own “dialect”, said Pope Francis,
the “language” that allows them to communicate with one another. “Babies have
their own dialect”, he added: “if one starts to cry the others will follow,
like in an orchestra”. Jesus, said the Pope, tells us to be like children: we
must never forget this language of children. “It is a language that Jesus
likes.” Which is why our prayers must be simple, like the language of a child.
Pope invites mothers to nurse their babies
At the conclusion of his brief homily, Pope Francis provided
some practical suggestions for the parents: if your babies “start a concert”,
he said, “it means they are uncomfortable, or hungry. And if they are hungry
then, by all means, go ahead and feed them”. This too, he said, is a “language
of love”.
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