Taking Baptism Seriously

If you are like me, you don’t remember the most important day of your life. We do not live as people who know they have been claimed by God. Many of us forget, practically speaking, that we are baptized. Through baptism, we are required to seek holiness and to evangelize. If you feel like your faith life needs to be pepped up, lean into your baptism and seek holiness. Baptism changes everything.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that by baptism,

The person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1272).

This does not correspond completely to the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan at the hands of his cousin, John the Baptist. He is not cleansed by sin; rather, he sanctifies the waters through his presence. Here, Jesus identifies with sinners by participating in a religious rite that prefigures the Baptism He would establish through the Church. John is a bit nervous when his cousin approaches.

I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me? (Mt. 3:14).

Is there an error in the Gospel? Perhaps it is a mistake to put this scene in the Gospel because it would seem to mark Jesus as a sinner. If Jesus is a sinner, what hope do we have? We know that we need salvation because we recognize our sinfulness. The baptism of Jesus does not mean that he is a sinner, but rather that he loves us so much he is willing to identify with us as sinners so that he can raise us to eternal life.

Out of love for us, Jesus orders John to perform the baptism.

Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness (Mt. 3:15).

The liturgy gives us a clue about the deeper significance when we look at the first reading from the prophet Isaiah.

Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching (Is. 42:1-4).

The same Spirit who descends upon Christ at the Jordan is given to us in baptism – and that gift carries a mission. Jesus comes to rule the world, but not in a cruel or controlling way. Baptism allows us to become adopted sons and daughters of God, while at the same time inviting us to cooperate in his mission to save the world.

Looking forward to when you might be having your own children, what do you need to think about regarding baptism?

There is nothing more important in your baby’s life than baptism. So, as soon as you know that you are expecting a child, reach out to your local parish to get the information you need. There are forms and preparation involved–not as obstacles, but as the way the Church takes this sacrament seriously. If you inquire about baptism ahead of time, you can set the date for baptism soon after the birth of the child.

Find great godparents. There is much confusion about the role of the godparents. These are not merely the same people you had as your wedding party. Nor is it necessarily close family members. Neither is it the person who is going to give great presents. The godparents are supposed to help the parents make sure the child is educated in the Catholic faith. For this reason, make sure that the godparents are practicing Catholics. They will have to have already received the sacrament of Confirmation and cannot be living with someone without the sacrament of marriage.

Prepare yourself well for baptism. Your parish will most likely have a program that you will be required to take. But don’t stop there. Make sure you are growing in your faith through readings, podcasts, prayer, and especially practicing your own faith. The best way to make sure your kids grow up Catholic is to establish a family culture where the faith is taken seriously but is also simply a part of daily life.

The greatest project of your life is making sure your children get to Heaven. Baptism is the doorway to eternal life. Lean into your baptism, strive for holiness, and proclaim the Gospel to the world. Baptism changes everything; let it transform you.