Luke 3:1-6
One afternoon at Starbucks in BF
Homes, a guy approached me and told me that he recognized me as a priest assigned
at their parish in 2005. Then he asked me a question about baptism. He asked me
why Catholics allow children to be baptized though they could not yet have
faith in God. He immediately mentioned about John the Baptist who baptized
adults like Jesus. I just listened to him and never gave any answer to his
question. I was at Starbucks to enjoy drinking my coffee while giving myself a
break so I did not entertain his question. When he could not elicit any
response from me, he politely left me as he returned to his table.
My dear friends, today allow me
to go back to the guy’s question as we reflect on today’s gospel. We, Catholics
do baptize children because it was Jesus himself who commanded his disciples to
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit… (Matthew 28: 19) Jesus never said that only
adults should be baptized and ignore the children. Therefore, what Jesus did
not prohibit, no man should prohibit it.
If we also read the Gospel of
Mark 16:16, it is said, “The one who
believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will
be condemned,” this phrase does not say that a child is not allowed for
baptism. If the problem is the faith of the child in order to receive baptism, then
the status of the child shall fall into the second sentence which states, “the one who does not believe will be
condemned.” Does this sound Godly that a child who cannot yet believe just
because he is a child and dies will go to hell because he is not baptized?
Moreover, is it not more
problematic for an adult who would just say he believes in Christ as his savior
in order to fulfill the condition of his baptism? Is it not more conflicting
when we can see those who claim they believe in Christ and were baptized yet
they are experts in the art of criticizing us Catholics? Is it an act of faith to compare their religious
belief with the Catholic faith and claim religious superiority? If their faith
in Christ has saved them already, why do they act as if they were not yet
saved? Their actions speak louder than their words.
Now, many of us trace the origin
of our baptism from the baptism of John. This is also what other Christians
think that is why they said that baptism is for adults as Jesus received
baptism as an adult. Well, sorry to say but this (the baptism of John) is not
the origin of our baptism in the Catholic Church. Try to take a look at Luke 3:
1-6. It says, “John went throughout the
whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins.” Here it is clear that the objective of the baptism of
John is repentance for the forgiveness of sins. It is not the kind of baptism
that Christianizes us. Why? If we are baptized with the baptism of John, then
we are called followers of John. But we are called Christians! This is because
we are baptized with the baptism of Jesus the Christ. There is a difference
between the baptism which John conferred and that of Jesus. John himself even
acknowledged the difference saying in Matthew 3: 11, “I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me
is more powerful than I am –I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Thereof even if John’s baptism
are for adults only, his baptism is not the standard of our baptism. One can
also look into the details of the difference between the baptism of John and
Jesus in John 3:22-30.
What then is the significance of
John’s baptism for us Catholics? Well, the baptism of John is important for us
Catholics to remind ourselves the need for repentance especially for the forgiveness
of sins which we commit after our baptism. We are reminded that in order to
meet the Lord with gladness, we are free from any obstacle: mountains and hills
shall be made low; make the winding path straight. The mountain and hill as obstacles
may be the occasions of sins, the effects of sins or sins themselves. We are
called to decide to free ourselves from sins and choose to live in Christ. We have
to give up our addictions which blur our vision to see Jesus clearly as to love
Him dearly. We have to cleanse ourselves by immersing in the water of repentance.
It means that after we have been made clean, we come out of the water leaving
behind our sins. No longer shall those sins stop us in meeting Jesus and living
with Him. We shall do this daily and not only during Advent Season. The struggle
against sin does not happen only during Christmas, so we must see to it before
we sleep at night, we have asked forgiveness from God for both big and small
sins. Amen.
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