Baptism
The baptismal liturgy, with its symbols of water, oil, light and garment, recalls into the present
the reality of Christ’s redeeming work: His dying and rising, His ministry, and the meaning of
this for us as members of His Church. Our very use of the word “baptism”, which in Greek
means “immersion”, has become metaphor for our belief that we, by dying in Christ, are
immersed into the life of Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life.
Scripture
Their answer (to the jailer) was, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and all your household." They proceeded to announce the word of God to him and to everyone in his house. At that late hour of the night he took them in and bathed their wounds; then he and his whole household were baptized. He led them up into his house, spread a table before them and joyfully celebrated with his whole family newfound faith in God..
National Catechetical Directory
Catechesis for Baptism is directed primarily to adults – adult candidates for Baptism and the
parents and godparents of infants who are to be baptized. According to the Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults, catechumens proceed through the stages of evangelization, catechumenate,
purification and enlightenment and post-baptismal catechesis. This process also provides helpful
guidelines for the catechesis of parents and godparents. Authentic understanding of the
significance of Baptism naturally leads to continuing catechesis.
The almighty God created us for happiness and eternal life
but our ancestors rejected God's love .
We still Suffer the consequences of this today.
The Original Sin.
“In that sin, man preferred himself to God and by that very act scorned him. He chose himself over and against God, against the requirements of his creature status and therefore against his own good. Constituted in a state of holiness, man was destined to be fully “divinized” by God in glory. Seduced by the devil, he wanted to “be like God”, but “without God, before God, and not in accordance with God.” Scripture portrays the tragic consequences of this first disobedience. Adam and Eve immediately lose the grace of original holiness.[…]
After that first sin, the world is virtually inundated by sin There is Cain’s murder of his brother Abel and the universal corruption which follows in the wake of sin. Likewise, sin frequently manifests itself in the history of Israel, especially as infidelity to the God of the Covenant and as transgression of the Law of Moses. And even after Christ’s atonement, sin raises its head in countless ways among Christians. Scripture and the Church’s Tradition continually recall the presence and universality of sin in man’s history: […]
All men are implicated in Adam’s sin, as St. Paul affirms: “By one man’s disobedience many (that is, all men) were made sinners”: “sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned”
Catechism of the Catholic Church I. III. 398-399; 401-402
But God did not abandon us.
God became a human being to restore us.
For God so loved the world that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Godparents
In the Sacrament of Baptism, godparents make a commitment to teach their godchildren about God – the divine plan and the intent of God for our lives.
The community, gathered for the celebration, pray and invoke the Holy Spirit for the one to be baptized that this child of God and others according the the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church.
To be a Godparent, one must be active, practicing Catholic in good standing, and available to teach and be a presence in the life of the godchild.
To demonstrate this, the godparent must provide a letter of eligibility from the parish where the godparent attends. Non-Catholic can be Christian witnesses; however, the family must select at least one Catholic godparent.
How to Schedule a Baptism
If the Child is under the age of 7:
- Make sure any one who has custody of the child gives consent for the baptism.
- Select at least one Catholic godparent.
- Acquire the letter of eligibility for the godparent from his/her parish.
- Talk to Fr Bill before or after any Mass.
If the Child is 7 or older:
- Register for Faith Formation through Ms. Susie Briggs.
727-442-7081
Adults:
- Talk to Fr Bill before or after any Mass.
Wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:2
Guided Meditation for Matthew 3:13-17
Imagine yourself sitting or standing along the banks of the Jordan River. From the river valley, you see the mountains rise in the distance. Many people have gathered. They have all come to see John the Baptist. Some have come to be baptized. Others are curious and have come to listen and watch. You notice a man walking down the hill toward the river. You know that he must be Jesus. He has come to John at the Jordan River to be baptized. Jesus winds his way through the crowd and approaches John to be baptized. John says, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus says to him in reply, “Baptize me, for it is fitting for you to do so.” John baptizes Jesus. As Jesus comes up from the water, the heavens open. The Spirit of God descends like a dove upon Jesus. A voice from heaven says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
- What exactly do you see?
- How does seeing all this make you feel?
- What do you think happens next?
- Does what you do please God?
- Do you remember your baptism?
- Can you restore the innocence of an earlier stage of your life?
