Why
should I have my child baptized? Aren’t all
babies children of God? *** This child whom you love so much is also loved by God. With his grace, you and your spouse have created this special youngster, this marvelous miracle of life that you now hold in your arms or who plays happily at your side. What is more beautiful than a sleeping child or that first smile? This gift from God is your child, to whom you would give the world, even your own life! Your love is so great! Why should your child be baptized? Isn’t he already a child of God? Yes, certainly, but… We also have the teachings of Jesus; he is our God who came among us to redeem us. His words of salvation show us the road to the Kingdom, for you, for me, for your child. It is a road of unlimited happiness, a gateway to his family, the way to heaven! For the benefit of your dear child, take note of the words of Christ: “Unless a man is born through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (Jn 3: 5); “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk 16: 16); “…and everyone of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ…” (Ac 2: 38); “Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28: 19). Jesus tells us how we may enter into his Kingdom: through baptism. No doubt that God wants all human beings to be saved. The Lord in his mercy never refuses heaven to those who live good and decent lives and who through no fault of theirs are not aware of the necessity of baptism. Can you deny your child this priceless grace? Since you love him so much, why would you wait to give him such a wonderful gift? Through baptism we experience the “cleansing water of rebirth” (Tt 3: 5). Through baptism, we participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus (Col 2: 12). I am sure you want your child to share in Christ’s glorious resurrection. Baptism gives new life that leads to eternal life. It is the supernatural life, the divine life within us. A life called to grow through the other sacraments such as Confirmation, to be nourished by the Eucharist, to be healed through the sacrament of Penance. It is a life that will blossom in heaven; it is eternal life offered by Jesus. Through baptism we receive the Holy Spirit and become children of God. “And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ…” (Rm 8: 17). It is true, in a general sense, that we can all call ourselves children of God. However, if we accept Jesus into our lives, we become God’s children in a special way. “To all who accept him he gave power to become children of God” (Jn 1: 12). Through baptism, we welcome Jesus into our lives and we enter into a rich divine filiation; we become God’s adopted children, co-inheritors with Christ. And also, baptism unites all of us, God’s children, into a large and wonderful family, the Church: “For by one Spirit we were baptized into one body” (1 Co 12: 13). This same body is the Church, of which Christ is the head (Col 1: 18). In baptism we experience a second birth, a new birth in which we enter the world of the risen Christ and the Trinity. Why should you have your child baptized? For all of the above reasons. Through baptism, God’s graces are activated, uniting your son or daughter with Jesus to share in his resurrection. |