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“The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.
To those who accepted Him, He gave power to become children of God.”
The Baptism of Jesus opened the way for all of us to be adopted as God’s own beloved children. What a blessing and a gift baptism is! This is not something I always understood, especially during my years away from the Catholic Church. But even while I was still far off, I felt there was something special and necessary about baptism.
When my daughter was born, I wanted her to be baptized but I was still away from the Church. My mother-in-law invited us to her Protestant Church, and we met with the pastor to make arrangements. He asked why we wanted our child baptized, and in reply, I mentioned the cleansing of original sin. I was surprised when he responded that baptism was simply a sign of the child being welcomed into the Christian community. After a somewhat uncomfortable conversation, we did go forward with the baptism. Despite the misunderstandings, God accepted His new little daughter with joy. After her baptism, we returned home to see a huge double rainbow arched over our house.
Since then, I’ve learned that, although my daughter’s baptism was valid, the pastor’s view of baptism was mistaken. Baptism indelibly changes our very being, sanctifies us, and washes away original sin. By our baptism, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and we become the beloved children of God. The beautiful thing about infant baptism is that from the very beginning we are adopted into God’s family. Our parents and Godparents promise to guide us and teach us the Catholic faith. As we grow up, the graces and gifts of baptism remain with us, helping us to grow in our faith and eventually take responsibility for our baptismal promises.
What an incredible gift to give to your child! Parents, don’t delay; if you have questions, ask, and the Church will help you understand this beautiful Sacrament. Praise God for His mercy in becoming man, so that we, too, have the power to become children of God.
Born and raised in a faithful Catholic family, I wandered far from my faith for nearly two decades. Through the infinite mercy of Christ and His Church, I found my way back home to the Catholic Church in the early 90s, and began a path of rediscovery of the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith, eventually earning a Bachelor's degree in Christian Tradition. A stay-at-home Mom for many years, my Church ministries grew to include teaching Catechism and First Eucharist classes, writing and facilitating retreats for healing after abortion, and becoming active in pro-life work with our local 40 Days for Life campaign in the Tri-Cities, Washington as an organizer, participant, speaker, and writer. My desire to share the greatest gift of my life, Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and His Divine Mercy, has found expression in my writing. My articles have been published locally in the Tri-City Herald's Spiritual Life and editorial columns; in the Carmelite Digest; Celebrate Life magazine; and recently in the National Catholic Register.
Links to these articles and more can be found on my blog at http://www.catholicethics.blogspot.com/. My Catholic Ethics page is on Facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/CatholicEthics.
