Is the Baby Gonna Go Swimming?
Recently, I taught St. Martin’s Episcopal Preschool students the story about Jesus getting baptized by John the Baptist. Hearing about John’s lifestyle in the desert, most of the children were perturbed that someone would eat bugs, although the honey made complete sense. They were amazed to hear about the Holy Spirit appearing like a dove and a big voice – God’s – coming from the sky! And then came the most exciting part. For this part, I brought water, a doll and a small basin.
Usually, the room fills with suspense. “What’s going to happen?” I pour the water to fill the basin “Is the baby gonna go swimming?” ... and then I say the words of the baptism sacrament, scooping water over the dolly’s head: “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen! “ And then the children wonder if the dolly will now receive a bath!
I make a pretend chrism oil cross on the dolly’s head, “Marking her as belonging to Jesus and loved by Him, and that’s forever.” The children ask, “Does the mark come off or does it stay on forever?” I respond, “This is how God wants to bring us into His family. He loves us and that’s forever. Friends, is it good to belong to God’s family?” … “Yes!” they exclaim. It is so delightful to see their curiosity and wonder. And it points me to the joy and delight of when we celebrate baptisms together in our Church.
As Christians, we also renew our baptismal vows every time we witness a baptism service. After all, we are not simply spectators, but active participants. We all are the welcomers, saying, “We receive you into the household of God … and, my goodness, is it a good place to be!”
Here are the prayers said for the candidates for baptism from our Prayer Book, adapted for this devotional, and I invite you to pray them with me today:
Deliver me, O Lord, from the way of sin and death.
Open my heart to your grace and truth.
Fill me with your holy and life-giving Spirit.
Keep me in the faith and communion of your holy Church.
Teach me to love others in the power of the Spirit.
Send me into the world in witness to your love.
Bring me to the fullness of your peace and glory.
Grant, O Lord, that all we who are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ your Son may live in the power of his resurrection and look for him to come again in glory; who lives and reigns now and forever. Amen. [1]
[1] “The Book of Common Prayer,” 1979. P 305-306
