Baptism 

The most important day of my life was July 18, 1976. That was the day my parents took me to Sacred Heart Church in Suffern, NY to have me baptized. On the drive over to the church, I was my parents’ child, their lifeblood flowing in my veins which made me their son. But with the pouring of water over my head and the invocation of the Holy Trinity, I became a child of God, with the divine life of grace flowing through my soul. The void of Original Sin within me was suddenly filled. I had become a temple of the Holy Spirit and a member of the great family of God, the Church. Thus, as an infant, I began my pilgrimage as a Christian, which will come to an end with my last breath on earth. 

This Monday we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the commemoration of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River at the hands of John the Baptist. The Lord Jesus did not need to be baptized because, being God Incarnate, He never lacked anything of the divine life. But He submitted to baptism by John as a sign of His identification with us sinners, and to make the waters the means by which we might die and rise to new life with Him, and receive the benefits of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.   

All this is to say that baptism is a big deal. In fact, Our Lord’s final instruction to the Apostles before His Ascension into Heaven was that they “go forth and teach all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). Baptism has been a part of life in the Church from the beginning, since it is literally the beginning of our life in the Church.  

Because of what baptism does, it is very important to bring infants for baptism soon after they are born.  The Church says that parents are obliged to bring infants for baptism in the first few weeks after birth to ensure they receive the benefits of the sacrament. While modern medicine and much improved infant mortality rates reduce the risk posed by the decision to delay, nonetheless, it is wise to make delays unnecessary by scheduling the baptismal date even before the baby is born. Of course, the circumstances of life sometimes cause time to get away from us, and we put off doing those things we know are important. So, if there’s a child in your home that hasn’t been baptized yet, there’s no time like the present to call the office and schedule it. Adults who are interested in getting baptized should contact us at the parish office to learn more about that process. 

Godparents are also an important part of baptism. The role of godparents goes back to the earliest days of the Church when initiates to the faith needed to have a fully initiated member of the Church vouch for them and act as a mentor, guiding them in the practice of their new faith. When choosing godparents, therefore, it’s important to remember that this is not simply an honorific title. Godparents must be in a position to help parents fulfill their promise to raise their child in the Church. For this reason, the Church has certain criteria that one must meet to stand as a godparent.  One must 1) be at least 16 years old, 2) have received baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. 3) If married, one must be in a marriage recognized as valid by the Church, and 4) be actively practicing his or her Catholic faith.  “Actively practicing” means, at the very least, weekly attendance at Sunday Mass, a regular habit of confession, and a seriousness about the faith demonstrated by way of life. A Catholic child has the right to a godparent who practices the faith. Thus, someone who otherwise has many admirable traits but does not currently practice his or her Catholic faith would not be an appropriate choice as godparent. That being said, if one resolves in good faith to return to active practice, then serving as a godparent can be a graced opportunity to rediscover the sacred gift of one’s own baptism and to rejoin their brothers and sisters in Christ along the pilgrim way. 

posted 1/6/24