In the wake, so to speak, of our celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, let us remember that there is no past tense in talking about Baptism! Baptism is not all about a fond remembrance of things that happened long ago. It is a present and living reality. It is an experience that is on-going. We could even say that we are “a lot more Baptized” today than we were on the day of our Baptism. The same thing is true of marriage. Those who are married are lot more married today than they were on their wedding day; and your pastor is a lot more a priest than he was in 1989 when Archbishop Levada put his hands on his head and anointed his hands!
Celebrating the Baptism of Christ, as we did Sunday, leads us to awaken to the reality of our own Baptism. Touching the water when we step into our church (in non-Covid times) awakens us and connects us to the others who have stepped into our church and into Baptismal waters before us, and all those who are connected with us in the Communion of Saints.
A people “living” their Baptism are a people connected to God all through every day and every night. A people “living” their Baptism are a people connected to everyone else who is coming to life – just as Jesus found His connection with the blind, the lame, the deaf, the sinners, and the lonely in His public ministry. A people who are Baptized are a people who know they must “live” the Sacrament; they are a people who know what their mission in life is to be. They never forget that they are children of God – the same God who claims them as His own and loves them.
Let us pray. “O God, we thank you for the precious gift of Baptism. We thank you that we can publicly declare our love and passion for you by ‘living’ our Baptism always. We ask for your goodness and blessings to be poured out on your whole Church. We pray that you would work deeply within our hearts and souls to renew and refresh us each day. Come, guide our footsteps, and give us a hope and a vision for the future. Keep us faithful to the Way of your Son, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever. Amen.”
