The Sacrament of Baptism

The baptism of Jesus closes out Christmas time. We are going back to the ordinary time, the ordinary life with the Word made flesh among us, Jesus. In relation with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus starts implementing, in very ordinary ways of living, an extraordinary reality: the Kingdom of God for the salvation of human-kind. That is why even though he never shares our sinful being, he has received the baptism of repentance by John the Baptist to be one with us sinners and bring us back to God. He met us in our deep desire of God beyond our sinful state of being that prevents us from a close relation-ship with God. Strengthening our relationship with God through an eternal covenant is the redemptive mission entrusted to Him by the Father. His Passion, Death, Resurrection, and glorious Ascension fulfilled the Redemptive mission, which we share in from the day we have been born through water and the Spirit (Jn 3: 5).

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Through the sacraments God is doing the same action by bringing those who receive it from the slavery of sin to the life of grace for the kingdom of God

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Instituted by Christ himself, baptism is, like others sacraments, a visible sign and symbol of Gods presence. It confers specific grace to those who receive it. Its celebration involves all members of the Church and its effects come by the fact of being administered. As a sign and symbol all sacraments refer to the action of God on our behalf. In the past, God delivered his people by bringing them from slave to salvation. Through the sacraments God is doing the same action by bringing those who receive it from the slavery of sin to the life of grace for the kingdom of God. We are experiencing the Kingdom of God within the Church as she carries out the redemption action of the Father through His Son by the Holy Spirit.

As a sacred event, any sacrament is received by the grace of God and by the recipient’s free acceptance of this sanctifying grace. By accepting such grace, the recipient is sanctified and saved from sin. He is raised from death to life. He is now in union with Christ and with those who belong to the church. Not only has he become a gift of the Holy Spirit but he is also granted the gifts of the Holy Spirit and shares the common dignity of God’s children. As we reject sin and all anti values opposed to Christian life, we are all called, by virtue of our baptism, to reject death and promote the culture of life and dignity for all from conception to natural death. Our profession of faith from the day of baptism has committed us to the Church's values, beliefs, vision, and teachings. We are called to holiness by loving God, our fellow human, and all God's creation. The white garment we received at our baptism as sign of our Christian dignity and the lit candle should remind us that we are called to be the light of the world and witnesses of the Gospel.

As the sacrament requires the recipient’s free acceptance of this sanctifying grace, how about the baptism of infants? The parents have spiritual responsibility of choosing what is good for their child. For example, they do not wait for a child to choose himself the kindergarten he wants to attend. They do it for him/her. Through the spiritual birth, the Church and parents launch the child into the journey of faith till death as the same parents had launched him/her, through natural birth, in the journey of history with God blessings.

Blessed are those who believe in the redemption action that is actualized by the sacraments. Indeed all the sacraments are a blessing as they refer the recipient back to his original source, God our creator.