Our daughter’s baptism was one of the most joyous experiences our family has had in the church. The day finally came to welcome her into our faith community, and as parents to take on the responsibility of guiding the development of her Christian life.
In this post, I’m going to share some moments from that special day, as well as some background on the sacrament of baptism.
We had Sofia baptized two days after Christmas. The story of Jesus’s birth was still fresh in my mind and the church was still decorated for the season.
Our family and friends gathered with us at the church. I held Sofia, dressed beautifully in a white gown with lace roses around the hem. The priest prepared the anointing oil and filled the baptismal font with the cleansing water that would purify her from original sin, give her new life in Christ, and make her a member of the church.
The Symbols of Baptism
Baptism is an essential part of our salvation. We baptize today because of what Jesus told his disciples when he appeared to them after his death and resurrection:
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Matthew 28: 19 – 20
The imagery of a priest pouring water over a person’s head is probably the most recognized visual depiction of baptism. There are many symbols present during baptism, and not just water.
Here are some of the symbols you’ll see during a baptism performed in a Catholic church:
- Water – symbolizes cleansing, the richness of life from God, and Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection.
- Oil -signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit in the newly baptized who is beginning their service to God
- Candles – symbolizes Christ as the light of the world and the illumination Christ brings. There are two candles. The first is the larger Paschal Candle lit for the first time each year at the Easter Vigil as a sign of the risen Christ. The second candle is smaller and given to the person being baptized. It is lit from the Paschal Candle to symbolize that they have received Christ’s light in their life.
- White Garment – when worn, symbolizes that the baptized has “put on Christ,” and is incorporated into the body of Christ by baptism.
- Community – symbolizes the multiple dimensions of the community in which the baptized person is welcomed into: the immediate family, the larger community of the church, and the still larger community of all baptized persons who have been united in the love of Christ in every age.
Adapted from CCC 1234 – 1245
Jesus was Baptized Before Beginning His Public Ministry
By grace, Sofia’s baptism fell on the feast day of St. John the Baptist — December 27th. That day had just happened to work best for our calendars; it wasn’t until the priest told us during the ceremony that we found out the baptism had fallen on this Saint’s feast day. God had truly worked the timing out perfectly!
In each of the four Gospels, Jesus’ ministry of public teaching, performing miracles, and saving humans from sin is preceded first by his own baptism. It is at baptism that Jesus is equipped for his ministry by the Holy Spirit. Likewise, we are made ready to become faithful followers of Jesus at our own baptisms.
John baptized Jesus with water, but he knew that Jesus was coming to baptize us with the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel of Matthew, we get a feel for how John the Baptist responded to Jesus’ request to be baptized:
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
Matthew 3: 13 – 15
People from all over Judea were coming to John to be baptized with water and cleansed of their sins. Unlike others at that time, John was able to recognize Jesus for who he truly was—the son of God. Because he understood Jesus’ superiority and divine nature, he was hesitant to baptize him alongside sinners.
I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.
John 1: 27
Although Jesus was fully divine, he also shared in our humanness. At baptism, we are equipped with the first tools we need to believe in him and to become more like him.
Raising Our Children to be Like Christ
I’ve read somewhere that our children are not our own—they’re simply loaned to us and entrusted to our care by God. How beautiful is that, that God would trust you specifically to take care of this one particular child he created, knowing exactly who you were?
What does the Catholic church require of parents who wish to have their children baptized? Before having our daughter baptized, my husband and I were required to take a baptismal class at our parish where we learned about the details of the sacrament.
We were also asked to choose godparents who will safeguard the development of our daughter’s Christian life. The church requires godparents to be at least 16 years old and active in their faith. The baptismal candidate only needs one godparent, but two godparents are allowed as well. More details on the requirements for godparents are available here.
Being responsible for my daughter’s faith is something I plan to take seriously. I can already see the challenges down the road. Once a child myself, I remember fighting with my parents about not wanting to attend mass or Sunday school. I remember coming to them with tough questions when I experienced periods of doubting my faith as a teen. Now as an adult, I fully appreciate the gift my parents gave me by raising me in the faith. I hope to do the same for my children.
Parents have a grave responsibility to give good example to their children. By knowing how to acknowledge their own failings to their children, parents will be better able to guide and correct them.
CCC 2223
We don’t have to be perfect parents to raise our children to be Christ-like. I’m not a perfect person or parent, and I know there will be times that I fail on my journey as a mother. But thankfully, our children don’t need us to be perfect—they need us to be honest. If we can acknowledge our shortcomings and show our children how God strengthens us to rise above them, our example enables us to create a home where our children witness the Christian faith in action.