Why baptize children? Why not wait until they are older and can decide freely for themselves? It is a serious question, but it can conceal a deceit. In procreating a child and giving him life, do parents first ask for his permission? Convinced that life is an immense gift, they rightly assume that one day the child will be grateful for it. A person is not asked for permission to be given a gift, and baptism is essentially this: the gift of life given to us by the merits of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Of course, all this assumes that the parents themselves are believers and have the intention to help the child develop the gift of faith. The Church acknowledges their decisive competency in this area and does not want a child to be baptized against their will.
There are increasingly more people in our society who for different reasons have not been baptized as children. There is the risk that they will grow up and make no decision, one way or another. Parents are no longer concerned about it because they now think that it is not their duty; the children because they have other things to think about. I think these reasons (and you can no doubt add to this list) are only symptomatic of the core cause: lack of trust in the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit enters the child that we baptize, making Christian virtues grow in that child, so that as he or she develops, they will blossom. We should always give children the opportunity to have the Holy Spirit dwell inside them so that He will guide them during life.
In order to address this situation, committed members of the Church should share with those who need to hear it, the effect the Holy Spirit has had in their lives. To have been baptized in the Holy Spirit is to have been immersed in the ocean of divine love. Witness to that love in your interactions with the parents in your life who, for whatever reason, have deferred the baptism of their child. It could very well be the case that they have not experienced the love of God in their own life, and thus do not know what they are missing out on, and preventing their child from experiencing for themselves.
Trusting the Holy Spirit and stepping up to give witness with you,
David J. Conrad
P.S. I offer formation for parents in their preparation for the baptism of their child. Our next formation session is Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 P.M.
There are increasingly more people in our society who for different reasons have not been baptized as children. There is the risk that they will grow up and make no decision, one way or another. Parents are no longer concerned about it because they now think that it is not their duty; the children because they have other things to think about. I think these reasons (and you can no doubt add to this list) are only symptomatic of the core cause: lack of trust in the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit enters the child that we baptize, making Christian virtues grow in that child, so that as he or she develops, they will blossom. We should always give children the opportunity to have the Holy Spirit dwell inside them so that He will guide them during life.
In order to address this situation, committed members of the Church should share with those who need to hear it, the effect the Holy Spirit has had in their lives. To have been baptized in the Holy Spirit is to have been immersed in the ocean of divine love. Witness to that love in your interactions with the parents in your life who, for whatever reason, have deferred the baptism of their child. It could very well be the case that they have not experienced the love of God in their own life, and thus do not know what they are missing out on, and preventing their child from experiencing for themselves.
Trusting the Holy Spirit and stepping up to give witness with you,
David J. Conrad
P.S. I offer formation for parents in their preparation for the baptism of their child. Our next formation session is Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 P.M.
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