The Baptism of Jesus by John
"Jesus answered and said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above". Nicodemus said to him, "How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?". Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." (John 3:3-5)
Baptism
I am proud to welcome both adults and children to the Christian family, and to the Church, through Baptism.
Baptism is a moment of commitment – the ritual in which a Christian makes public his or her commitment to Christ. In Baptism we go, with Jesus, into the water – coming out of the water committed to living according to His Gospel – his Way. Ritually, in going into the water we die to our old selves, and rise to the newness of life in Christ.
Baptism is also the moment in which the Lord says, through the baptizing community, that this child, this person IS the beloved son or daughter of the Father, created lovingly, unique in all creation, and a delight in the eyes of God.
When an adult comes to the waters of Baptism, he or she is embracing, and being embraced by, the whole Christian community, however we call ourselves Christian. Baptism is a sacrament that transcends all denomination. An adult is saying that he or she chooses to walk by the light of faith, and to be born again in the spirit. The baptizing community promises that it will walk with the newly baptized and support him or her through prayer and love. The early Christians were known for their love for each other - and we should be too.
When parents bring their newborn child to be baptized, they are promising that child that his or her home will be a place of love and faith. They are promising to do their best to share the Good News of Jesus live, death, and resurrection with their son or daughter. They do this by striving to create a home where all feel loved and accepted, where the Word of God is honored and read, where prayer is part of the daily fabric of life, and where, as a family and as individuals, all strive be kind to the least of our brothers and sisters – when and how they appear to us.
The baptizing community also makes a pledge – witnessed by the Godparents and the minister – that we will assist the parents to live the challenging life of faith. We assist them by our prayers, our support, our shared faith, and our love. Baptism isn’t something that happens once and is over – it represents a commitment that we must take seriously every day.
If I can help you with the baptism of your child, please feel free to contact me.