Dear brothers and sisters, when we speak about Baptism, we are speaking about something much greater than a ceremony involving water, a white dress, a candle, a name and a photograph. Baptism is the beginning of a new life. It is the moment when we are welcomed into the family of God. It is the beginning of our Christian identity and the foundation upon which the rest of our Christian life is built.
In Genesis we are told that God created the heavens and the earth, the animals, the plants and finally the human beings. God looked at creation and saw that it was good. Man lived in harmony with nature and, more importantly, lived in the presence of God. There was no separation, no fear, no alienation. Humanity knew God and enjoyed His friendship.
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.” “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Man lived in harmony with the nature ruling over the whole creation and enjoying the company of God. The devil could not tolerate the blissful state of man. It decided to break man relation with God. So he approached the woman to tempt her.
He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Then something terrible happened. Sin entered the world. The relationship between God and humanity was broken. Adam and Eve, who had previously enjoyed God's presence, suddenly became afraid and hid themselves. There is something very interesting in that story. God did not hide from Adam. Adam hid from God. God came looking for him and asked, “Where are you?”
That question—“Where are you?”—is still being asked by God today. Not “Where do you live?” Not “What is your profession?” Not “How much money do you have?” God asks, “Where are you in your relationship with me?”
A person may be sitting in church and still be far away from God. Another person may be struggling, confused and imperfect, but sincerely seeking God. Baptism tells us that God has not given up on us. He continues to search for us.
Throughout the Bible, God repeatedly sent prophets to call His people back to Him. Isaiah pleaded, “Return to the Lord,” reminding Israel that their sins could be forgiven. Jeremiah cried, “Return, faithless Israel,” calling a people who had wandered away to come home to God. Ezekiel proclaimed, “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses,” urging people not merely to feel sorry but to change their lives. Hosea lovingly invited Israel, “Come, let us return to the Lord,” revealing a God who still desired His unfaithful people. Joel announced, “Return to me with all your heart,” calling them to fasting, repentance, and sincere conversion. Amos warned a complacent nation, “Seek me and live,” while Zechariah proclaimed God's promise: “Return to me…and I will return to you.” Different prophets, different situations, but the same message runs through them all: you may have wandered far from God, but the door is still open—return to Him.
Finally, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to restore the broken relationship between God and humanity. Baptism becomes part of this wonderful plan of restoration. Through Baptism, we are incorporated into God's family and become members of His people.
There is a beautiful difference between receiving a gift and understanding its value. Imagine giving a small child a very expensive watch. The child may throw it on the floor because he does not understand its value. The watch does not become less valuable because the child does not appreciate it. In the same way, a baby may not understand what happens at Baptism, but the grace of Baptism does not become less valuable because the child cannot yet understand it.
Many of us were baptized as infants. We do not remember the day. We do not remember the priest. We do not remember the water. We probably do not remember what we wore. But God remembers. Our parents remember. Our Church remembers. And, more importantly, the identity given to us that day remains.
Before Christianity, Jewish religious tradition already had practices involving ritual washing and immersion in water. The mikvah was associated with purification and restoration. John the Baptist also used baptism as a central part of his call to repentance. But Christian Baptism receives its full meaning from Christ and His command to His disciples.
Then we come to a remarkable scene: Jesus Himself goes to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. John is surprised. He knows who Jesus is and says, in effect, “You should be baptizing me!” But Jesus responds that it is proper to fulfill all righteousness. When Jesus comes out of the water, the heavens open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and the voice of the Father declares, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
What a wonderful moment! Before Jesus begins His public ministry, the Father publicly declares His identity: “You are my beloved Son.”
That is also one of the deepest meanings of our Baptism. Before we achieve anything, before we become successful, before we receive a degree, before we get a good job, before people praise us, we are already precious in the eyes of God.
The world tells us, “You are valuable because you are successful.” God tells us, “You are valuable because you are my child.”
This is particularly important for young people. A young person can be made to feel worthless because of examination results, appearance, social media, friendships or rejection. One person receives thousands of “likes” and feels important; another receives very few and feels forgotten. But God does not measure us by social media likes.
He does not say, “You received 500 likes, therefore you are valuable.”
God says, “You are my beloved child.”
That is an identity nobody can take away from us.
There is a humorous story about a Pentecostal baptismal service. A drunk man wandered into the service and stood beside the preacher in the river. The preacher asked, “Are you ready to find Jesus?” The man said yes. The preacher immersed him in the water and brought him up. “Have you found Jesus?” “No.” The preacher immersed him again. “Have you found Jesus now?” “No.” Finally, after holding him under for some time, the preacher asked impatiently, “Have you found Jesus yet?” The man wiped his eyes and asked, “Are you sure this is where He fell in?”
Of course, Baptism is not about physically finding Jesus in a river. It is about Jesus finding us and bringing us into His family.
Sometimes we behave as though Christianity is a treasure hunt in which we must somehow discover where Jesus is hiding. But the Gospel tells us something much more beautiful: God comes looking for us.
Baptism is God's way of saying, “You belong to me.”
There is another humorous story about a Catholic and a Baptist discussing the correct amount of water required for Baptism. The Catholic asked, “Knee deep?” “No.” “Waist deep?” “No.” “Up to the chin?” “No.” “Over the head?” “Yes.” The Catholic replied, “Fine. That is exactly where we put it!”
The joke makes us laugh, but it also reminds us that Christians have different practices and traditions concerning the manner of Baptism. What is most important is not merely the quantity of water but the grace and commitment signified by Baptism.
Water itself is a powerful symbol. We cannot live without water. Water cleanses, refreshes, sustains and gives life. A person can survive for some time without many things, but water is indispensable.
That makes water a beautiful symbol of what God does in Baptism. He cleanses us, gives us new life and begins something new within us.
Think of a dirty garment. You can look at it and complain, “This is dirty, this is dirty, this is dirty.” But nothing happens until you wash it. Baptism reminds us that God does not merely tell us that we are sinful. He gives us the grace to begin again.
But there is an important point here. Baptism is not magic.
If someone receives Baptism and then deliberately refuses God, refuses repentance, refuses love and refuses to change, the external ceremony alone does not transform the heart. Your notes make this point very clearly: without spiritual conversion and commitment, Baptism can remain merely an external human action without its intended spiritual impact.
There is a funny story that illustrates this. A man named John had a serious drinking problem. He went to a priest looking for help. The priest asked him, “Are you baptized?” “No.” The priest decided to baptize him. After the Baptism, he declared, “You are now a new man. Your name is Joseph. You have been transformed!”
Joseph went home, went straight to the refrigerator, took out his bottle of brandy and dipped the bottle into the water. He said, “You are now a new creature. You are no longer brandy. You are orange juice!”
Of course, the bottle remained brandy!
The joke teaches an important lesson. Water does not magically change the contents of a bottle. In the same way, the sacramental life calls for a response from us. Grace is given, but we must cooperate with grace.
Parents sometimes bring a child for Baptism and think, “Our responsibility is finished.” No. Baptism is the beginning, not the conclusion.
Imagine planting a small tree. You plant it, water it and say, “Wonderful! My work is finished.” Then you walk away for twenty years. When you return, you may find nothing but dry soil.
Baptism is like planting the seed of faith. Parents, grandparents, godparents, teachers and the Christian community must continue to water it through prayer, example, Scripture, Sunday Mass, forgiveness, charity and Christian values.
This is why the responsibility of parents is so important.
Children learn more from what parents do than from what parents say. A father may tell his child, “You must pray,” but if the child never sees his father pray, the lesson becomes weak.
A mother may tell her child, “Forgive others,” but if the child constantly hears her criticizing relatives, the child learns something different.
Parents can say, “Church is important,” but if Sunday morning is always the day for shopping, sleeping late and entertainment, the child receives another message.
Children are excellent observers. They may not always listen to us, but they are always watching us.
There is an old saying: “What parents do in moderation, children may do in excess.” If parents show respect, children learn respect. If parents practice generosity, children learn generosity. If parents pray, children learn prayer.
The most powerful catechism a child can receive is the example of his or her parents.
This is particularly important in the age of smartphones. A child may see parents spending hours looking at their phones and then hear them say, “You spend too much time on your phone!” The child may silently think, “But I learned it from you!”
Sometimes parents tell children, “Don't shout,” by shouting at them.
“Don't lie,” while asking the child to tell the caller, “Daddy isn't at home.”
“Respect people,” while criticizing everyone around them.
Children notice these contradictions.
Baptism therefore challenges not only the child but the entire family.
We also need to understand that Baptism gives us a permanent identity. We are marked as belonging to Christ.
We may change our profession. We may change our residence. We may change our hairstyle. We may change our clothes. We may change our opinions. We may even change our nationality through legal processes. But the spiritual character received in Baptism is not something we simply erase and rewrite.
That is why St Paul speaks about Christians as those who have put on Christ. Baptism is not merely something that happened to us in the past. It is something that should influence how we live today.
The waters of Baptism also point toward death and resurrection. St Paul teaches that through Baptism we are united with Christ's death and resurrection so that we may walk in newness of life.
That gives us a practical question: What must die in me?
Anger must die: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger…be put away from you.” — Ephesians 4:31
Jealousy must die: “Let us not become conceited, or compete with one another, or be jealous of one another.” — Galatians 5:26
Hatred must die: “Whoever hates a brother or sister is in the darkness.” — 1 John 2:9; also, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” — Matthew 5:44
Dishonesty must die: “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self.” — Colossians 3:9Perhaps an unforgiving attitude must die.
An unforgiving attitude must die: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” — Ephesians 4:32
Pride must die: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” — James 4:10; “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” — James 4:6
And something must rise in its place.
Compassion must rise: “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” — Colossians 3:12
Honesty must rise: “Let us speak the truth to our neighbors.” — Ephesians 4:25
Forgiveness must rise: “Forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” — Colossians 3:13
Prayer must rise: “Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
Therefore, every Baptism should remind us not simply of something that happened years ago, but of something that must happen every day.
Every morning we can say, “Lord, I belong to you.”
Every time we forgive someone, we are living our Baptism.
Every time we resist temptation, we are living our Baptism.
Every time we help someone in need, we are living our Baptism.
Every time we choose truth instead of a lie, we are living our Baptism.
Every time we choose love instead of hatred, we are living our Baptism.
Another beautiful aspect of Baptism is the giving of a name. In Scripture, names often carry deep meaning and identity.
Today names are sometimes chosen because they sound fashionable. Parents may spend weeks searching the internet for a name that is unique. One parent wants something traditional; another wants something modern; grandparents want something biblical; and finally the child ends up with a name that nobody knows how to pronounce!
There is a humorous story about a mother who wanted an unusual name for her child. She saw the words “Nosmo” and “King” on two doors and thought they would make a beautiful name. She therefore named her child “Nosmo King Smith.” Later she discovered that the two words were actually part of the sign “No Smoking”!
The story is funny, but it makes a serious point. A name should be more than fashionable. It should remind us of identity and purpose.
When a child receives the name of a saint, that saint can become a model and intercessor. Parents are not simply choosing a name for a birth certificate. They are beginning a spiritual story.
And this brings us back to the responsibility of parents and grandparents.
Grandparents have a particularly important role. In many families, grandparents are the bridge between generations. They can tell stories that parents are too busy to tell. They can teach prayers that children may remember for the rest of their lives. They can tell grandchildren about their own experience of faith.
A grandmother teaching a child to make the Sign of the Cross may look like a very small thing. But years later, when that child is facing difficulty, that simple prayer may return to memory.
A grandfather saying the Rosary with his grandchildren may appear ordinary. But he may be planting something that will grow for decades.
There is a beautiful story told by a woman named Diana Vallette about her grandmother. When Diana was about twenty years old, her grandmother gave her a small brown rosary. At that stage of her life, Diana did not believe in God. She put the rosary in a drawer and forgot about it. Her grandmother probably wondered whether that little gift would ever mean anything to her granddaughter. Years passed. Diana married a Catholic man, began going to Mass, and slowly something began to change in her heart. One day she opened that old drawer and found the rosary her grandmother had given her years before. She picked it up and began searching on her phone, “How do I pray?” That forgotten rosary became part of her journey back to God. Looking back, Diana realized that her grandmother had planted a seed of faith in her life long before she understood its value. Her grandmother never got to see the full harvest, but the seed was there, waiting for the right moment.
The Bible reminds us, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6). The grandparent may plant. The parents may water. A priest may nurture. But God gives the growth—and sometimes that growth appears many years later.
Faith is often transmitted not through spectacular events but through ordinary repetition.
There is a beautiful testimony about a woman named Monica Russell and her grandmother Dolores. Her grandmother was not a famous preacher, a theologian, or a missionary. She did something much simpler: she prayed every day. She had a regular time when she would sit quietly with God. She spoke to Jesus and Mary about her joys, her worries, her sufferings, and her family. She prayed for every member of the family, and she did it day after day, year after year.
What made the greatest impression on Monica was not one spectacular prayer or one extraordinary miracle. It was the repetition. Her grandmother simply kept praying. As Monica grew older, she realized that she had been watching a woman who treated prayer not as something reserved for emergencies, but as part of ordinary life. Her grandmother's daily prayer became a living picture of what faith meant. Monica later reflected that her grandmother's ordinary prayer time was a profound witness to her faith.
The child sees the candle.
The child hears the prayer.
The child watches the parents kneel.
The child hears the Bible story.
The child comes to Mass.
The child learns to say thank you.
The child learns to forgive.
Little by little, faith becomes part of identity.
There is another important lesson from the Baptism of Jesus. At His Baptism, His public ministry begins. Baptism becomes the doorway to mission. Jesus does not remain at the Jordan River. He goes out to preach, heal, serve and save.
In the same way, our Baptism is not simply a certificate that says, “I am Christian.” It is a call: “Now live as a Christian.”
A baptized doctor should bring Christian compassion into medicine.
A baptized teacher should bring truth and kindness into education.
A baptized businessman should bring honesty into business.
A baptized parent should bring love into the family.
A baptized student should bring integrity into school.
A baptized worker should bring dignity into the workplace.
A baptized Christian should make some corner of the world better because he or she is there.
This is why Baptism and mission belong together.
Sometimes we say, “I am only one person. What can I do?”
Remember the mustard seed. Small things can become great things in God's hands.
George Müller, the nineteenth-century Christian who cared for thousands of orphaned children, gives us a beautiful example. When the idea of an orphanage first took shape in his heart, he did not have a great organization behind him or a large amount of money. He began with prayer and faith. In December 1835, one of the first gifts he received for the orphanage was just one shilling. A few months later, in April 1836, the first orphan house opened in a rented house in Bristol with only twenty-six girls.
That one small beginning grew. Müller eventually established five large orphan houses capable of caring for more than two thousand children. What began with a prayer, a rented house, a few children and a tiny amount of money became something far greater than anyone could have imagined.
One prayer can change a person's day.
One word of encouragement can prevent someone from giving up.
One act of forgiveness can restore a family.
One honest decision can protect a business.
One child raised in faith can influence an entire generation.
We should never underestimate the power of a small act done with great love.
Finally, brothers and sisters, we should renew our Baptismal commitment. Most of us cannot remember our Baptism because we were infants. But we can remember its meaning.
The water has dried.
The baptismal clothes have been put away.
The photographs may be stored in an album.
The priest who baptized us may have grown old or passed away.
The relatives who stood beside us may no longer be with us.
But the grace and responsibility of Baptism remain.
We are still God's children.
We still belong to Christ.
We are still called to holiness.
We are still called to love.
We are still called to serve.
We are still called to live differently from the world.
St John reminds us of the dignity of our identity: “We are God's children now.”
So perhaps today God asks each one of us the question He asked Adam: “Where are you?”
Where are you in your relationship with God?
Where are you in your prayer?
Where are you in your family life?
Where are you in forgiveness?
Where are you in Christian service?
Our Baptism began a journey. It opened the door to the family of God. It gave us a new identity. It called us to holiness. It made us members of Christ's Body and opened the way to the sacramental life of the Church.
So let us not leave our Baptism in the past.
Let us bring it into our homes.
Let us bring it into our workplaces.
Let us bring it into our schools.
Let us live every day remembering the words spoken over Jesus at the Jordan: “This is my beloved Son.”
And let us hear those words personally:
“You are my beloved child.”
That is our identity.
That is our dignity.
That is our calling.
And that is the beautiful gift of Baptism.
-Satish Selvarance