Beloved of God

On the day of a baby's birth, there is great rejoicing among those who are closest. Parents and their families celebrate this joyful event and the day of a baby's birth is remembered every year (at least in the Western traditions) as a day of favor for the one who was born.

Today was one such day. The baby in question began her terrestrial life in mid-November, but it was today that she began her spiritual journey, one that we pray will bring her many untold joys and comforts.

The ritual proper to baptism is filled with symbolism, and since at least some of those present did not really understand the significance of these simple but profound actions, we took a little extra time to explain as we went along. At least one person this author knew found that she was unraveling new and deeper understandings to the truth about baptism even up to the day when her heavenly life began, but for us mere mortals, this is a journey of discovery and we'll take all the help we can get.

Baptism begins with the naming of a child. Similar to the day when the child is born, the parents are asked, 'What name do you give to your child?' You might say that on the day of the child's baptism, God also gives a name, so it's intriguing to think that parents who utter the name of their newborn are actually speaking these names before God. Even more fascinating is the truth that parents, who cooperate with God in the task of giving life to a new human being can actually speak on behalf of God as they utter the name(s) of their children.

Baptism is a choice made by parents on behalf of their children. Therefore, the Church asks them to explain right at the beginning of the ceremony, what it is that they are asking for and why they have been prompted to request that their child be inserted into the list of potential saints. Some parents take this opportunity to express their hopes and dreams for their children, or to ask for the Church's help in teaching their child(ren) about faith. Whether they choose to speak these words audibly or not, the journey of discovery in faith begins with Baptism.

Once the desire has been expressed, the first act is to sign the child on the forehead with a cross that is traced there. The celebrant places this cross on the child's head, as many others have done before for adults, children and infants who have requested baptism. Parents, godparents and others are also invited to repeat this sign as an outward manifestation of their willingness to share the story of their own faith with the child. Some parents continue this practice of tracing a cross on the foreheads of their children at significant moments in their lives as well: when they go to sleep at night, when they leave the house for play or for school, when they embark on a major voyage or a new endeavor, on the day of their marriage, at times when they are sick ... This simple gesture is a reminder both to adults and to children of the importance of faith, and of their commitment to living faith on a daily basis.

Listening to the word of God and offering prayers for the good of the child, its parents and godparents, and for all those who are gathered are all part of the routine of common prayer. In the words of scripture we find wisdom, consolation, encouragement and understanding. When we speak prayers to God for our needs and the needs of others, we place these cares in His hands: a gesture of trust that is born out of knowing that He guides us in love so that we in turn can love others.

At the conclusion of the Intercessory prayer, we invoke the prayer of the saints: those who have gone before us and who now guide us from Heaven as we make our way on earth. Asking for the prayers of the saints is a venerable tradition in the Church, one that we continue even today. The cult of the saints has evolved to include patron saints for most situations in life as well as those whose names we carry and who we hope to emulate in their virtue. Invoking the prayer of the saints is something we do each day throughout our earthly lives as gestures of trust that we are not alone on the journey.

A prayer of exorcism is uttered, asking God to protect the child throughout the time granted to live on this earth, and to prepare for heavenly life. Some have joked about the necessity that this prayer should be repeated at certain times throughout the child's life, but the truth is that we begin on the day of baptism to pray for the safety of the child, and this is a prayer that is continually uttered (sometimes without many words) until the day of our Homecoming.

There are actually two of the Church's three oils used for anointing during the ritual of baptism. Before the child is baptized, the Oil of Catechumens or Oil of Salvation is rubbed on the chest as an outward sign of strength, not unlike the belief in Roman times that oiling the body of a warrior helped him to be strong in battle. After the child is baptized, Sacred Chrism, a perfumed oil is rubbed on the crown of the head, as a sign that God has chosen this child and marked him or her as his own. This perfumed oil is actually a regal sign, for it speaks of a call for the child to be prophetic, kingly and priestly in service to others and to God.

Flowing water is perhaps the most poignant sign used at baptism. The origins of Christian baptism can be traced to the river Jordan and the encounter between Jesus and John the Baptist who used baptism as a sign of repentance. However, Jesus enriched the sign of forgiveness by adding a personal dimension: from the day of baptism, we are counted among the Lord's beloved children. After having duly been blessed, water is poured over the head of the child, accompanied by the recitation of the trinitarian formula: 'I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'. If nothing else is done at a baptism, water must be poured over the head, or the person to be baptised must be submerged three times while this formula is recited.

As a visible reminder of the light of faith that is kindled on the day of baptism, a lit candle is presented to parents and godparents. A living flame is a visible reminder of the new life begun on the day of baptism, and of the responsibility to fan this flame ever so gently as the child continues to grow so that it may grow ever stronger in the heart of the one who has been entrusted with it.

It is customary in this part of the world that the one to be baptised wears a white gown on the day of baptism. This white robe is an outward sign of purity, having been washed clean of sin in the waters of baptism. It is also a sign of Christian dignity entrusted to all those who are called by Jesus to walk in his footsteps. Reminders of this white garment are ritualistically present all thorugh our lives, even to the day of the celebration of a funeral when the white pall is placed over the coffin, a reminder of the baptismal garment worn on the day when our journey begins.

As a verbal sign of commitment on the part of those who are gathered for the baptism, we are all invited to pray aloud for the child who has begun this new life. Finally, there is a special blessing prayed over the child's parents: a prayer spoken on behalf of all those who are gathered to thank God for the safe delivery of the child and to pray for protection for the parents who are the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith.

Aside from the child's parents, godparents are also appointed to assist parents in their duty as Christian role models. Godparents help parents to teach a child the ways of faith by means of their actions and words, their example and their prayer. Indeed all those who are privileged enough to be present as witnesses to a baptism have a special duty to partake in the raising of the child, as do all those who are part of the faith community that we call the Church.

Perhaps it's true: the rituals proper to baptism happen in a matter of minutes, but they take an entire lifetime to understand and to appreciate because they are rich in meaning and significance and they speak volumes about our hopes and dreams as well as about our responsibility to cooperate with God in the task of passing on our belief that we are indeed the beloved of God.