One of the great sacraments of our faith is baptism, the very sacrament that washes us clean from original sin and marks us, forever and always, as a child of God. Recently we have offered to those seeking baptism for their child the opportunity to celebrate that sacrament at a Sunday eucharist rather than at a service on a Sunday afternoon. Some families have taken advantage of this opportunity. Why are we celebrating baptism at Sunday Eucharist?
First, it is an attempt to overcome the notion that the celebration of baptism is a private family event. No sacrament in the church is a private event, they are all intended to be communal, to which anyone is invited. Second, the ritual instructions that are provided for the celebration of baptism remind us that “Baptism should take place on Sunday, the day on which the church celebrates the paschal mystery. It should be conferred in a communal celebration for all the newly born children, and in the presence of the faithful ...” Third, by including baptism at Sunday eucharist it serves to remind as all of two things: one, our own baptism, and two, the responsibility we share with the parents in raising the children of our parish in the practice of the faith. Fourth, it is the hope of our faith that all the baptized will one day share fully in the life of the church, especially by receiving eucharist. By celebrating baptism within eucharist we model to the newly baptized the very celebration of our faith we wish them to one day fully share, namely, they too will one day receive eucharist.
Baptism during Mass occurs after the Homily when the reception of the child takes place, the professing of faith and the general intercessions by the congregation, followed by the actual baptism with the pouring of water, and the anointing with chrism along with receiving the light of Christ and the signing of the senses.
The reception of the child involves the announcing the name of the one to be baptized and the questioning of the parents as to why they are here – this action is actually the gathered assembly saying they welcome the child and desire that they be baptized. The pouring of water washes the child clean from the stain of original sin. The anointing with chrism makes the newly baptized a child of God forever, nothing can take baptism away, especially if they walk in the light of Christ given
them at baptism.
We have been celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism during Mass now since the summer and it has been so well received in our parish, both by the parents who are bringing their child for baptism, (who speak of feeling a part of the community instantly) and also by the parish itself. What a grace to be a part of this Family of Faith.