I remember the sight of our first child's baptism. Holding our baby - our own baby! after years of hoping! - dressed in the same white gown that four generations of our family's babies had worn, watching him squeal as we undressed him to be plunged into the warm waiting font. I remember the smell of our second child's baptism. Sweet balsam chrism that lingered on his head for days afterward, staining his father's grey suit where he held him proudly as we snapped a hundred photos. I remember the feel of our third child's baptism. Gathering a wriggling wet baby in my arms, wrapping him in white towels, giving him back to the arms of the priest who carried him out to see the whole clapping congregation. But this baptism? I have no memory. I was not witness. I was still lying in the recovery room, groggy from surgery and foggy from anesthesia. I did not see our daughters' only sacrament. But he did. I can only imagine how it looked. The bright lights of the resuscitation room, giant … [Read more...] about the bravest baptism
baptism
eat, pray, light, bless: celebrate a baptism anniversary
Our sweet babe just celebrated his first baptism anniversary. One trip around the sun, one whole year a Christian. It's a big milestone in our family. I've written about baptism anniversaries here and here , too. But I always find that these days sneak under the radar, despite circling the dates on the calendar and trying to plan a something-special to celebrate their big days. So here's my simple solution: four easy ways to celebrate a baptism anniversary with children. Grab one or grab 'em all. (In descending order of time/preparation/oops-I-completely-forgot-ness. Because baptism's got no room for shame.) 1. Eat a special meal or delicious dessert. FEAST. The Christian answer to every celebration. Make the child the center of the day. Make a fuss. Let him pick the dinner he wants (even if everyone's stuck eating chicken fingers) or surprise him with cake and ice cream for dessert. Pull out the photo album after dinner, and re-tell the story of his baptism: why you chose the … [Read more...] about eat, pray, light, bless: celebrate a baptism anniversary
the sound of sacrament
I do. For over a year, our oldest son switched "I" and "you" whenever he spoke. So he sounded like an overly compassionate child, always concerned with what "you" wanted and what "you" needed, constantly volunteering that "I" should help the crying baby and "I" should clean up the mess. His malaprop-kid-ism was cute at the beginning. But after months and months of ignoring our corrections, his habit got grating for those closest to him who were constantly being asked whether they wanted a diaper change. With help from his teacher and sitter, we recently redoubled our efforts to help him learn. And over the last month, he's started to switch, slowly. Now we hear a hybrid of "I" and "you," but trending towards full claiming of self-hood when he speaks. Today when we pose a question, he responds carefully and proudly - "I do!" - the words still new, fresh and powerful in his mouth. . . . Last week we were talking after Mass about baptism, about the babies who had been dunked in water … [Read more...] about the sound of sacrament
one year a christian
One whole trip around the sun. That's how long he's been a Christian. A year ago we gathered with old and new friends, family from near and far. My mother and I dressed my six-week old son in the baptismal gown that four generations of my family have worn. And a young deacon, an-almost priest we met as he journeyed through seminary, rolled up the sleeves of his alb, nervously took the squirmy baby from my arms, and plunged him deep into the waters of new life. He came up wide-eyed and gave a small yelp. We all smiled. Everyone likes when the baby cries, my mother whispered. That's how they know the baptism "took." Last weekend we watched a baptism from the back of church while that same boy, now a year old and a thousand times squirmier, crawled around the gathering space. I listened as the pastor asked parents and godparents the old familiar questions we've heard a thousand times before. What name do you give your child? What do you ask of the Church for your child? Do you … [Read more...] about one year a christian
