The baptism

Recently, Greg and I attended the baptism of our neighbor's 5-month old baby girl, Anya. It was a Catholic ceremony, and, having been to a few Catholic baptisms...I wasn't expecting much.

And I'll preface that with the ceremonies I've been to haven't had much meaning, sort of the "ho-hum another baptism" approach from the priests and the parents. And, at one, I asked about the meaning (I wanted to hear from the parents what it meant to them) and they couldn't tell me. Not one bit about if this 'saved' the child or not, if she was consecrated to God now that this was done, why they did it, and whatnot.

I really enjoy the traditions of the Catholic and Episcopalian churches...but I get disappointed when the congregations don't know or care as to what's going on.

So I wasn't expecting much for this baptism either.

And then the priest came out and began talking - and I could tell he really, really loved what he was doing. And in his prayers, I could hear a genuine love for God. And then he took little Anya and began with "Anya, today we, your family and friends stand together and claim you for Christ, and all that is Good and True in this world".

We claim you for Christ....

And he talked of how dark the world has become, and yet how we have these tiny rays of light, these people who can grow into light itself, and here we were claiming Anya's little life for Light and Love at 5 months old. He then had each of us swear something like an oath that we, her neighbors and family would stand in the way of Darkness and shelter this small child from any evil or harm that may come her way. That it was our duty as those closest to her and her parents to protect them from things that would harm or drive wedges into their relationships with each other because the family must remain strong.

He admonished us not to ourselves fall into dispair, for though our path through this world is difficult, the Light we follow is more powerful than any darkness that would claim our joy.

We claim you for Christ....

When we were done, it was through a veil of tears that we left that little church. I thought about tiny Anya, and what our small prayers may have done for her life this day. I can't really begin to guess, but I also think that we underestimate what our prayers and goodwill can do.