Weekly HOMILY for January 11, 2009: Taking Our Baptismal Promises Seriously

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
January 11, 2009

Taking Our Baptismal Promises Seriously
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


The Godfather

All of us are familiar with the movie “The Godfather.”

For me, one of the most memorable scenes in the movie is the baptism sequence. Michael Corleone, the Sicilian Godfather, is the actual godfather at the baptism of his newborn nephew.

During the Baptism, we see the baptismal promises made by Corleone. And, as he makes them, we also see other events that he has ordered his death squad to carry out.

The priest asks, “Do you renounce Satan?” Corleone responds, “I do” and in the same moment, we see a brutal murder committed by the Godfather’s henchmen.

The priest asks, “And all Satan’s works?” And again, Corleone’s “I do” is followed by the scene of another gruesome massacre that he has directed.

And so it goes throughout the Baptism ceremony. You pick up the theme very quickly: Michael Corleone says one thing and he does another, and his profession of faith is a sham.


Baptismal Commitment

The same questions asked of Michael Corleone are also posed to us at Baptisms and sometimes here at Mass, especially in the weeks following Easter when the Creed is recited as a series of the same questions.

And the challenge is the same for us as it was for Corleone. Answering these questions is one thing, but living out a full bodies response is quite another.

Perhaps the real issue is: What does it really mean to live out my baptismal commitment? I think that Jesus’ own baptism and today’s Scripture readings help to define what the “I do” of our baptismal promises means.


Commitment #1: Living with God

Let’s look at their meaning. First, baptism involves a commitment to live in union with God.

In our Gospel passage, we are told that, “The skies open and the Spirit of God descends.” So, the Almighty God, the divine presence is here.

For us, Baptism means that we make the Divine – our relationship with God – the guiding force of our lives. It means that we seek a greater closeness with God through prayer, and that we try to live out of this inner communion with God as a way of life.

Our baptismal “I do” means that “I do commit myself to living in communion with God.”


Commitment #2: Naming Children

Second, Baptism involves a commitment to name our children as sons and daughters of God.

At Jesus’ Baptism, “The voice from the heavens says, ‘This is my beloved Son.’” So, to our children, we need to say clearly, “You are God’s daughter; you are God’s son.”

We do this in practical ways: By talking with our children, grandchildren, and godchildren about God and by teaching them little prayers, by bringing them to Mass and tending to their Religious Education.

And we do this by being a good example and guiding them through the challenging and tumultuous teenage years.

Our baptismal “I do” means that, “I do commit myself to name our children as God’s daughters and sons in real-life ways.”


Commitment #3: Caring for Others

And third, Baptism involves a commitment to care for others.

In our first reading, Isaiah foretells the coming of a Servant of God. Isaiah foresees that this Servant will, “Open the eyes of the blind, bring prisoners out from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”

Isaiah’s vision of this Servant is fulfilled in Jesus and now needs to be continued by us.

So, we are to open the eyes of others to a life of faith in Jesus, do what we can to free those trapped by poverty, and lead into the light those caught in depression.

Our baptismal “I do” means that, “I do commit myself to care for others.”


Conclusion

In conclusion, unlike Michael Corleone in The Godfather, our actions must match our baptismal “I dos.”

We do commit (1) To live with God, (2) To name our children as God’s own, and (3) to care for others.

This is the meaning of our baptismal commitment and better we not renew it than renew it with half a heart.

Our Creed that follows will ask those very important questions, but first let us ponder our response.