What happens in Baptism? What do we hope for from Baptism?  We hope for eternal life for our child. This is the purpose of Baptism. But how can it be obtained? How can Baptism offer eternal life?

What is eternal life? In simple words, we might say:  we hope for a good life, the true life, for these children of ours; and also for happiness in a future that is still unknown. We are unable to guarantee this gift for the entire span of the unknown future, so we turn to the Lord to obtain this gift from Him. Through Baptism each child is integrated into a family of God’s children, a family which never abandon its own, a family that bears the promise of eternity. This family of God is eternal, because it is in communion with the One who conquered death and holds in His Hand the keys of life, Christ, who is life and gives eternal love beyond death. Then, there are the elements:  water, the anointing with oil, the white garment and the flame of the candle. Water is the symbol of life:  Baptism is new life in Christ. The oil is the symbol of strength, health and beauty, for it truly is beautiful to live in communion with Christ. Then, there is the white garment, as an expression of the culture of beauty, of the culture of life.

 And lastly, the flame of the candle is an expression of the truth that shines out in the darkness of history and points out to us who we are, where we come from and where we must go. Let us thank the Lord for this gift and pray for our children, so that they may truly have life:  authentic, eternal life. Amen.