Francis baptizes 26 newborns. "You have asked for the faith. When the Church hands you the lighted candle, she is telling you to keep alight the faith in these children. And, always remember that the greatest legacy that you can give your children is faith; do you best to make sure that it is not lost, nurture it and make it your legacy to them".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The greatest legacy that parents can give their children is faith. The cries of newborns filled the Sistine chapel on the day that Pope Francis administered baptism to 26 babies, 13 boys and 13 girls, emphasizing, in a brief homily that was completely unscripted the centrality of the gift of faith.

"Forty days after the birth - he said - Jesus was brought to the Temple. Mary and Joseph took him to present him to God. Today, on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, you parents bring your children to be baptized, to receive what you asked for in the beginning, when I have asked the first question: the faith. 'I want my child to have the faith'. And so faith is transmitted from generation to generation, a great bond through time".

"With the passing of years, the place of these children will be occupied with others – your grandchildren – and they will ask the same: faith; the faith that Baptism gives us; the faith that allows the Holy Spirit today into the heart, the soul, the life of these children, yours. You asked for the faith. When the Church hands you the lighted candle, she is telling you to keep the faith in these children. And always remember that the greatest legacy that you can give your children is faith; try to never lose it, nurture it and make it your legacy to them".

"I hope that today is a joyful day for you: I wish you to be able to raise these children in the faith, and that the greatest legacy that they receive from you is their faith. And just a little note, I always say to mothers, when a baby cries because he is hungry,:' If your child is hungry, feed him here in complete freedom '. Brothers and sisters, let us lift up to the Father, origin and source of life, our prayer for these children, called to filial adoption in Christ Jesus, for their parents, godfathers and godmothers and for all the baptized ".

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