The Sacrament of Baptism

Do you know the date of your Baptism? It was the most important day of your life. Baptism is a mystery that defines me, purges me, marks me, penetrates me and transforms me to the depth of my being. My Baptism shapes who I am and the way I try to live and it all starts with God. Through Baptism I become a child of God. So often we forget the gentle creative power of the love of God for us. Yes we are loved by God in every moment and in every way which is given to us freely for we do not earn the love of God. Everything good in our lives and in the world is a gift of God and without God’s love we are nothing. That is why gratitude is at the heart of being a Catholic, for once we realize how little we can be without God, we can then be thankful. Baptism means I am Christened. I am plunged into the mystery of Jesus as St. Paul says, “I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal.2:20). Christening is not just some nice social event for it is God’s work. It defines who I am, it describes that I choose to live following Christ daily with the help of the Holy Spirit as a member of the Catholic Church.