Child’s baptism spurs thoughts of everlasting life

“Get me out of here!” My 2-year-old daughter yelled with surprise and fury when she arose from the first of three immersions in our church’s baptismal. Our normally austere Indian priest cracked a smile and waited for the congregation’s merriment to subside. Rather than dunking her twice more and risking more shouts, he cupped his hand and poured water over her head while quickly completing the words, “And in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Amen.” He lifted her up to me with a towel and we practically ran to the restroom for changing. I’m sure Jesus smiled with Father Kaspar. We were bringing ourselves into the Church and our children to be baptized.

Sunday was the feast of Our Lord’s baptism and the official end of the Christmas season (I am indeed glad to remove the tree and restore my living room to order). According to the Catechism, “The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God’s suffering servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (#536)

And from Pope Emeritus’ book Jesus of Nazareth, “The real novelty is the fact that he – Jesus – wants to be baptized, that he blends into the gray mess of sinners waiting on the banks of the Jordan.”

He began his public activity by stepping into a place with sinners. It was an installation toward the Cross, for the Lord himself called his later death a baptism in Mark 10:38. His descent into the water sanctified it for the millions who would receive such a glorious sacrament, where an earthy action corresponds with a heavenly grace (the definition of sacrament). The earth’s water, the opening of the heavens, the brush of the Spirit, the voice of God’s pleasure, and the presence of Jesus – truly glorious!

In our church, the baptismal is front-and-center. It is a beautiful stone cistern with a small top that continually flows into a huge tank, a symbol of Christ’s living water of love that continually flows. It is the first thing one notices and the first thing children want to dabble in (which we certainly allow, then use that blessed water to make the sign of the cross as a remembrance of our own baptisms). The top is for infants, who are baptized as the sign of the new covenant; no longer do we bring our babies to the temple for circumcision (Colossians 2:11-12) but we bring them to the sanctified water for baptism. The New Testament records several instances where entire households were baptized. Of course parents would bring their children.

According to some of the very first Christians after the New Testament:

Irenaeus, writing in Against Heresies in AD 180-199, wrote, “He came to save all through himself – all I say who through him are reborn in God – infants, children, youth, and old men. He passed through infancy, childhood, youth, and death. He is the perfect teacher of all things for all ages, sanctifying each.”

Hippolytus, writing in Against the Heresy of Noetus in AD 200-210, wrote, “Baptize first the children and if they can speak for themselves, let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for them.”

Origen, writing in Homilies on Leviticus in AD 244, wrote, “Every soul that is born into flesh is soiled by the filth of sin ... and in the Church baptism is given even to infants.”

Baptism is a precious sacrament. Peter himself called the salvation of souls by Noah’s ark a “symbol of baptism which now saves you.” (1 Peter 3:21)

It is one of three commands Christ gave to his disciples just before his ascension. We call it the Great Commission: go, baptize, and teach. Interestingly, he did not tell them to write. But we are glad they did!

When our youngest child was baptized at a few weeks old, we knew she had cystic fibrosis. The final words of the formal Rite of Baptism were powerful, especially as we considered her health.

“On your part (the parents), you must make it your constant care to bring your child up in the practice of the Faith. See that the divine life which God gives her is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in her heart. May she go out to meet him with the saints in the heavenly kingdom. God the Father, through his Son, the Virgin Mary’s child, has brought joy to all Christian mothers as they see the hope of eternal life shine in their children. May God bless the mother of this child. She now thanks God for the gift of her daughter. May she be one with her in thanking God forever in heaven. In Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

You see, problems cannot dim the power, the promises, or the prayers of this blessed sacrament. Poor health cannot ruin the new life, the divine life, the everlasting life, or the thankful life that begins with baptism into Jesus. The simmering Pentecostal in me wants to shout Halleluia!

God took on human flesh in Jesus. He joined that “gray mess of sinners” and listens to us, loves us, and leads us to heaven. He sanctified the water by his baptism, thanks be to God. So we come, bringing ourselves and our children to be washed clean and called His children.

I would suggest the pour-over instead of dunking for high-spirited toddlers, though.

Allison Howell and her family are longtime residents of the Valley. They are Catholic converts and keep a hobby farm full of animals and children.

Opinions expressed on the Faith page are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, its staff or its parent company, Wick Communications. To submit a column or other news for the Faith page, send email to news@frontiersman.com, or call 352-2250.