The celebration of the Baptism of Jesus Christ is a reminder to all Christians, whether baptized as a baby or later in life, that baptism is the moment or event of a new birth. By a splash of water over the head or a dunking in water or an immersion into a a river or pool, the person being baptized is given a new birth into a community of faith. Regardless of the "brand" of Christianity, baptism does not exist without water. Someone once said, "There is no way to experience baptism without coming out on the other side dripping wet." From the readings offered in today's Eucharistic liturgy, what can we bring home to our own prayer. There are three points that I would like to present for your consideration this morning.
The first point is that we should come to a realization that God is the source of life. When the words "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" are said to the person being baptized, we should see beyond the words to their significance. This new birth is indeed the beginning of a new life ... a spiritual life ... a life with a special relationship with the Creator God. At the same time the moment of baptism and the Sacrament of Baptism or Initiation as it is sometimes called, speaks to us of the sanctity of life. This is why the Church is so strongly opposed to anything that would end that life unnaturally.
Perhaps we should see beyond the actual pouring of water over another human being's head as a reminder. It speaks out strongly about the place of God in our lives. Yet, in our society today, how many are the ways that our citizenry seem to be in favor of prohibiting us from the daily experience of God in our lives? We have become a nation that wants to wash its hands of a Creator God. The God who created this world, the God who created you and me and all who share the air, the light, the rain, the sunshine, this God seems to be the object of so many modern day prophets who want God driven from our daily lives. Baptism, which we are to witness here at St. Joseph's on Capitol Hill in just a few minutes, should be a reminder to us of our own baptisms. Aware of that special moment in our lives, it is our duty to reject those who seek to push God from our daily lives.
While our Deacon will soon pour waters of baptism on a young child, you and I are called to celebrate what is "new." This baby's baptism could be for us a moment of resolve to bring about a new relationship with God, or a new attitude in how we live our lives, how we work with others; it could be a moment when we renew our pledge to follow Jesus Christ where he leads us. This baptism should remind us that we once were soaked in God's graces so that like Jesus, like this young child, we could go forth into the world sharing the Good News, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Lastly this baptism we are about to witness this morning is a reminder that our baptisms were our own inauguration ... our being brought into the faith we profess in the Creed every Sunday. Every baptism we witness is a "re-calling" for each of us to walk out of this church and this sacred liturgy "re-charged" to bring the message of Jesus Christ, his message of love and new life to a world that seems to have lost its desire to incorporate God into each day's newness.
The celebration of Jesus' baptism and the baptism of this child are trumpet calls for us to go forth as Jesus did -- to bring the life of faith to others, to proclaim that we also accept Jesus Christ as our God and Savior. We should always remember this: when we end this earthly life and stand before God, he is not going to ask me or you if our Pastors or Bishops or Popes did all they could to solidify our faith among us. No, he will not ask about them. He will ask you; he will ask me: have you lived the life of a baptized believer? What have you done to bring the faith to others through your life?
