On 8 January 2012, on the Sunday after the Baptism of the Lord, the evangelical pericope from Matthew 4:12-17 presenting the beginning of the preaching of Jesus Christ, our Lord, was read in all the places of worship of the Romanian Patriarchate.

In the sermon delivered in the chapel of the Patriarchal Residence dedicated to Saint Gregory the Enlightener, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church emphasised the importance of the relationship between the Baptism of the Lord and the preaching of the Word of God.

“The Sunday after the feast of the Baptism of the Lord shows us the relationship between the Baptism of the Lord and the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. At the same time, it shows us the relationship between the mystery of the Baptism of the Lord and of our baptism and the mystery of Repentance as entrance doors into the Kingdom of God. The Gospel emphasises especially the fact that Jesus Christ, our Lord, is the light of the world, the first and the last sense of creation and the light or permanent sense of the Christian life as life focused on the Kingdom of heaven”, explained His Beatitude, as Trinitas Radio station informs us.

Getting the Kingdom of Heaven implies a total change of man’s nature, also showed the Patriarch of Romania.

“The Kingdom of God which is coming close to the humans implies their changing, namely a conversion, a renewal of their thought, speaking, living and acting. The word “repent” means “change yourselves” in the Greek language of the New Testament. That is change your behaviour, renew yourselves, namely we must think spiritually, think holy not passionately, just like Christ thinks. We must see the world as Christ sees it, namely as a gift of God. We must see life as focused on Resurrection and on the eternal happiness as Christ showed us. The Kingdom of God implies repentance. This is why the Sacrament of Baptism which is administrated to man for forgiving the sins too, is not repeated. It is the base, the foundation of all the other holy mysteries, but the mystery of Repentance renews the Baptism through tears. This is why the Baptism is said that once done in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is only one. We confess one faith, one Lord, Jesus Christ and one Baptism, but the baptism of repentance through tears renews our baptism in water and in the Holy Spirit”.