Sunday March 2nd. 2008 Mothering Sunday
Christening of a child
The joy at the birth of a baby is completed by bringing the child to church for baptism. This is the first and most important of all the sacraments that the child will receive, for without this it cannot receive the other sacraments.
On the day our Lord was baptised by John the Baptist in the river Jordan, the heavens opened and a voice was heard saying; “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” At that moment, the Holy Spirit came down upon Christ in the form of a dove.
This is also true at the baptism of every child. As the water is poured over the
head of the child, God now claims it as his own. “You are my beloved daughter/son
in whom I am well pleased.” At that very moment the Holy Spirit comes down into the
child’s soul, and the grace that Adam and Eve lost is restored. Not only is the
child now a daughter or son of God, but it is also a new member of his new Body,
the Church, with the right to receive all the other sacraments—and has been given
the gift of Faith which allows it to believe, without doubting, what God has revealed,
and also to believe the teachings of the Church
When the child reaches the age of seven, it is prepared for Confirmation, for a new infusion of the Holy Spirit, and then a few months later follows its First Confession. After a period of special preparation, comes the joy of the day when it makes its First Holy Communion, and receives within its innocent soul the living presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
From baptism, there is the spiritual growth of the child in the church, in the family and at school, to help it increase in its faith and in its love of God. Throughout its life, it will use the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist frequently to help it mature its faith and become an active member of Christ’s Body in the Church.
The sacrament of Matrimony is another grace awaiting the child in the future as it enters adulthood. As well as God granting the couple his blessing and making them one, he also gives them a special sacrament which allows them to minister his grace throughout their married life when they express their love for each other.
Some young men may chose to follow Christ in the priesthood, and there is a special sacrament for them which imparts the character of Christ to their soul and empowers them to administer all the sacraments in Christ’s name.
The last of sacraments, the sacrament of the Sick, is for the comfort and healing of a sick person, and it is there specially for the dying that they may go forth in peace to meet Christ.
Baptism is so important for the new-
Final Blessing of parents at the baptism of their child
For the mother
God the Father, through his Son, the Virgin Mary's
child, has brought joy to all Christian mothers as they see the hope of eternal life shine on their children. May he bless the mother of this child. She now thanks God for the gift of her child. May she be one with him (her) in thanking him for ever in heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
For the Father
God is the giver of all life, human and divine. May he bless the father
of this child. He and his wife will be the first teachers of their child in the ways
of faith. May they be also the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by
what they say and do, in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
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