E CARD
TAKING THE FEAR OUT OF
E V A N G E L I Z A T I O N
 
Below is this answer to this week’s question.
Spread the Good News!
 
Question:  What happens AFTER Baptism?
 
Answer: This past Monday, January 8th, the Church celebrated the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  This weekend we hear readings about being called; Samuel in the Old Testament and Andrew and Peter in the Gospel of John.  This is a good time to consider what our own baptism means to us.  
Some years ago, Catechumenate, a publication for people who minister in the RCIA process, published a compelling article entitled, Justice and the Sacraments of Initiation.  Below are several quotes from that article:
    
      Sacraments are generally thought of as “received” rather than
      concerned with action and transformation.
  
      If baptism is to be recognized as an initiation into the life of  
      Jesus  and the Christian community, then there must be a public
      evidence of conversion and altered lifestyles.
 
      We emerge from the waters of baptism with new sight that
      enables us to challenge whatever dehumanizes the  community of
      Christ and to confront the structural obstacles to justice.
   
 Now read the following quote from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults:
 
      The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus.  Before
 starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism            given by John the Baptist…Jesus’ immersion in the water is a sign for all human beings of the need to die to themselves to do God’s will.  Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father.  By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin…and begin to live a new life with God.
  
  For many, the Sacraments of Initiation are looked upon as things to be received rather than events that change and strengthen our identity – transform us, so that we can “live a new life with God.” As we consider the call of Samuel, Andrew and Peter, this is a good time to consider our own call.  Our baptism changed our identity.  Has it transformed our lives?
 
#31 in a series