Baptism

“Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3)

Of all the services throughout the year, of all the rites we perform, and of all the special days that mark our calendar, baptisms rank high on my list.  Over the years, I have administered numerous baptisms to both tiny children and grown adults, and they never stop feeling special, meaning, and deeply profound.  That is because in baptism, God is at work!

Our catechism (p. 858) tells us that in baptism, God adopts us as his children.  Thus, from the moment of baptism onward, we are never alone or unwanted; we have a family to which we belong and a Heavenly Father who cares for us.  That means we can always look back on the moment of our baptism and remember that we are deeply, deeply loved.

One of my favorite aspects of this sacrament is that through it we are united to Christ, as St. Paul tells us above.  It makes me think of tandem skydiving, where you are strapped to your instructor.  You’re so closely connected to your instructor that when they jump, you jump.

So, it is with Christ.  We are so connected to him in baptism that when He died, we died with Him.  We died to the powers of sin, evil, and death.  They have no power over us, so we are free to live lives of love, hope, peace, and joy that bring God’s blessings to us and the people around us.  That’s truly amazing.

But wait, here’s more!  Paul goes on to say, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5).  We are not just united to Christ in His death but also in His resurrection.  Therefore, we know for certain that eternal life awaits in His glorious Kingdom… Baptism is proof that the best is yet to come.

Traditionally, the Church has reserved four days specifically for baptisms:

·       The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord (The First Sunday after Epiphany in January)

·       The Great Easter Vigil (The evening before Easter Sunday)

·       Pentecost (the celebration of the Holy Spirit’s descent on the Apostles)

·       All Saints’ Day (November 1)

That final, beautiful holiday is quickly coming upon us, but it is not too late to sign up.  Please let me know if you would like to receive this beautiful sacrament for either yourself or your child.  What a blessing that would be!

In Christ,

BJ+