BAPTISM

Categories

All
Preaching Christ's Mission
Preaching Church History
Preaching Jesus
Preaching Love
Preaching Sainthood
Preaching Suffering
Preaching Talents
Preaching The Cross
Preaching The Lamb
Preaching The Prophets

---

Baptism homily (Baby “Michael”)
(Readings are Rom 6.3-11 Matt 28.16-20)
​
Do you realize that you’ve just witnessed a miracle? 
Today, Michael has had the devil driven from him. On his behalf, his godparents have rejected Satan and affirmed Christ, and he has been joined to Christ. 

He was anointed with oil 

• The forehead was anointed so that “the mind might be opened to understand and receive the mysteries of faith.” 
• The breast was anointed so that he “would love the Lord with all your heart.” 
• The shoulders were anointed so that he “would accept Christ’s yoke.” 
• The ears were anointed “for the reception of the voice of the divine Gospel.” 
• And his hands and feet were anointed so that he would “raise your hands towards the holy place and always act justly,” and “walk in the ways of Christ’s commandments.” 

Then, he was baptized, as our Gospel says, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”. As Christ said, “You must be born of water and the spirit”.  He has been born again. 

And then, to top it all off, he has been sealed with the Spirit through Chrismation. This is a public witness that you now belong to God! It is through the Holy Spirit that we live and serve God. Through all this, Michael has been brought from man’s natural state of separation from God, from spiritual death, into communion with God, into eternal life. He is now able to become a partaker of the Divine Nature! 

As the hymn reminds us, “all you who have been baptized in Christ, you have put on Christ”. 
Michael, my new little brother, today is the first day of your eternal life! Welcome to the family!
Now, parents, and godparents, how does this affect you?  Does this simple reception of the Divine Mysteries mean that Michael is set for eternity? Well, no.

You are the first catechists that Michael will have.  You are to show him how to live a Christian life.  You have the primary task of overseeing his formation as a Christian, a Catholic.  You must be sure to get him to church on Sundays and Holy Days. And, all the while, while he is learning the faith, you must be deepening your own faith, your own devotion to Christ; for how can you impart your faith to him if you don’t nurture it? 

Some years ago, I was honored to serve as cantor for the funeral of a deacon who’d also been a high school teacher of mine.  When I told a friend of mine that he’d passed, his response was, “He didn’t just teach me history.  He taught me to be a man”.  So, I say to you, don’t just teach Michael the facts of the Faith, teach him to be a Christian.
And, if you need help, talk to us, to the priests and deacons.  That’s why we’re here, to help you grow.


In the Gospel reading, our Lord told the Apostles to make disciples of all nations.  And that’s what we are – disciples – students of righteousness, of truth, of Christ!  A child newly baptized is like a sponge, ready to absorb all spiritual truth.  But we adults also can absorb these truths, and we can support others in absorbing these truths – in being true disciples.
Glory be to Jesus Christ!!!

---

---

I am blessed to be Dominican, a member of the Lay Fraternities of Saint Dominic. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.