Celebrating Baptism at Easter

Easter Day, April 12th 2009. In our readings we particularly think about Mark 16:1-8 today
It’s always a great privilege
and very insightful thing to be able to baptise someone at Easter.
Easter is about new life and new beginnings
and baptism really invites us to adopt a lifestyle that is about Easter.
We affirm as we see Jesus
who once was dead, being declared to be alive
in a new sort of way
that this is the sort of character we want to live our life with.
We believe as Christians that this can only happen through faith in Jesus.
And so Jack and Catherine bring their daughter Marianne
to make that commitment on her behalf today.
She will need to learn how to practice this faith
and so Jack and Catherine, supported by Matthew and Wendy,
also promise to teach her by example
what it means
This is how children learn
by example.
But we are all given a clue
about the practice
by promising
three specific things
which remind us not only what children need to have explained to them
but also what we as Christians are called to reaffirm at this Easter time.
REPENT of your sins
This means that we need to stop doing the stuff that destroys us and others
Seek forgiveness and be forgiving.
REJECT SELFISHNESS in a world that is obsessed with ourselves
and what we can acquire
we reject the idea that people
achieve their full humanity by selfishness
RENOUNCE EVIL there is also bigger picture stuff
where we are seduced by ideas that people are disposable
or that we can exploit people as if they were to be bought and sold.

This is serious stuff
for Marianne.
We pray that Jack and Catherine will continue to do this.

And for each of us.
We renew our personal commitment
Don’t leave Church without it!!