We are taught as Catholics that Baptism washes away the stain of original sin. As my beliefs have changed over the years I no longer understand baptism in that way. I see it as an OPENING of a heart to the graces of God, and also a welcoming into the family of God by the community of faith.
Whenever our former Pastor baptized babies at Sunday mass, he would baptize them and then kiss their tiny little baby heads. Every single time he did that. It was so touching, showing his love for the newest little member of the family of God and of our parish. We all pledged to help the baby to grow in faith and to welcome the baby into the community and support his/her parents and godparents in the faith journey.
Of course, "Baptizing Nations" can lead to things like the Crusades, or violence at people who do not believe the way we do, so yes, it has led to abuse. Recognizing that there is only one God, the same God of Christians, Jews and Muslims is a good place to start to stop that kind of error. I had a Hindu friend who married a Jewish man and I asked the young woman's father how he felt about the difference in their faiths. He looked at me and said "there is only one God." I loved that. It was, by the way, a beautiful interfaith wedding.
Our Protestant brothers and sisters like to ask "are you saved?" To them it means accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, confessing sins and being baptized- and therefore cannot be done as an infant. That is not our language or our way, but we are all a part of the same faith if we truly believe that following Jesus, tending to the poor and serving one another - being "light" to the world, is what we should do/be. Then we are one in Christ Jesus, and should focus on our sameness, not our differences.
Anytime faith is used to exclude anyone, which in Jesus' time would have been tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, women caught in adultery and many others, then it is an abuse of our baptismal vows. Jesus was radically inclusive and we must be as well. The people that the church today seems to demonize are divorced and remarried Catholics and LGBTQ people. That goes against Jesus and His radical inclusiveness and should be seen to be a betrayal of our baptismal vows - we are all a part of God's family, baptized or not, and we should treat each and every person as such.
Peace and blessing to all today.
Whenever our former Pastor baptized babies at Sunday mass, he would baptize them and then kiss their tiny little baby heads. Every single time he did that. It was so touching, showing his love for the newest little member of the family of God and of our parish. We all pledged to help the baby to grow in faith and to welcome the baby into the community and support his/her parents and godparents in the faith journey.
Of course, "Baptizing Nations" can lead to things like the Crusades, or violence at people who do not believe the way we do, so yes, it has led to abuse. Recognizing that there is only one God, the same God of Christians, Jews and Muslims is a good place to start to stop that kind of error. I had a Hindu friend who married a Jewish man and I asked the young woman's father how he felt about the difference in their faiths. He looked at me and said "there is only one God." I loved that. It was, by the way, a beautiful interfaith wedding.
Our Protestant brothers and sisters like to ask "are you saved?" To them it means accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, confessing sins and being baptized- and therefore cannot be done as an infant. That is not our language or our way, but we are all a part of the same faith if we truly believe that following Jesus, tending to the poor and serving one another - being "light" to the world, is what we should do/be. Then we are one in Christ Jesus, and should focus on our sameness, not our differences.
Anytime faith is used to exclude anyone, which in Jesus' time would have been tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, women caught in adultery and many others, then it is an abuse of our baptismal vows. Jesus was radically inclusive and we must be as well. The people that the church today seems to demonize are divorced and remarried Catholics and LGBTQ people. That goes against Jesus and His radical inclusiveness and should be seen to be a betrayal of our baptismal vows - we are all a part of God's family, baptized or not, and we should treat each and every person as such.
Peace and blessing to all today.
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