My Sisters and Brothers,
We had a wonderful visit with Bishop Van Koevering this past Sunday as we welcomed Zoey and her father Joseph into the church with Baptism and Rick, Ryley, Trisha, and River by Confirmation. As is customary in the church, parents and godparents make the promises on behalf of young children, specifically responding to the questions: “Will you be responsible for seeing that the child you present is brought up in the Christian faith and life?” and “Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow into the full stature of Christ?” Then the Celebrant asks the following questions of the candidates who can speak for themselves, and of the parents and godparents who speak on behalf of the infants and younger children: “Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?”, Do you renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?”, Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior?”, “Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love?”, and finally “Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord?” Then two questions are asked of those to be confirmed: “Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil?” and “Do you renew your commitment to Jesus Christ?” All the questions have been asked, all but one. The celebrant then turns to the congregation and asks, “Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ?” Some may have wondered why Rick Mauro was standing with those presenting the candidates. I always ask a member of the Vestry or Bishop’s Committee to serve as a presenter as a visible representation of the congregation. While it is not always clear to all present, that person is there because of that last question asked, the question to the whole congregation, “Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ?” While some say they are just words, they are far more. They are vows, vows to God. We pledge we will do all in our power. I wonder where the church would be today if everyone who has ever spoken these words would see them as a vow, a pledge to God and took them to heart?
We have a beautiful baptistry in the corner of the church, a relic of the time when private or family baptisms were the norm, often on Saturdays. Our current prayer book has returned baptism to a public act, an act for the whole church to celebrate. A time to remember the promises we have made or those made on our behalf. So important, that we set aside five days a year; the Easter Vigil, Pentecost, All Saint’s Day or the Sunday after, the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (the first Sunday of Epiphany), and the bishop’s visitation when should we not have anyone to baptize, we renew our own baptisms making those promises, those vows again, and may we remember how we respond to the questions of the Baptismal Covenant, “I will, with God’s help.”
