Why Baptism?

Why Baptism? The feast of the Baptism of our Lord always comes at the beginning of the new year, a time associated with resolutions and new beginnings. What makes us truly human is that we are capable of making decisions and promises and of sticking faithfully to them. Baptism for Jesus meant that the will of his Father became the meaning and message of his life. Indeed there is a sense in which we can say that every Baptismal Font is a “tributary” of the River Jordan. My name was called…… Helen/Paul “I baptise you….” In our lives there are decisions, moments, opportunities when God calls us to new beginnings, renewed fidelity, deepening trust, more generous service. Our calling is to be like Christ to have his values, his attitudes, his way of dealing with people. It’s a decision which must be renewed daily, a decision to follow Jesus Christ, a commitment to try to grow in faith. It may be to heal a quarrel, to let a grievance go, to give up alcohol or drugs, to serve one’s neighbour in a new way. In Baptism I became a “child of the Light”. In this way I was called to be a “light”. Through me, others see the “light” and in this way we are empowered to “shine” in our particular way.