One of my favourite sacraments of the church is that of Baptism. Next week at the Parish we'll be welcoming Eloise Paige and her family to celebrate with us a very special time in her life. Baptism is all about new beginnings and in the Christian church we mark this occasion with water, new fire, and anointing with oil. We wash Eloise with water, acknowledging that she is a new and beloved child of God. We sign Eloise's forehead with oil and say "I mark you as Christ's own" and thus we know that this sign stays with her forever. Finally we light a baptismal candle - from the Paschal/Easter/Christ candle - to show the world that she has "passed from darkness to light". But then, once the feast and celebration is over, we must continue to pray for and assist in any way we can, the teaching of God's love for Eloise and her whole family.
I remember the first time I baptised a little child. The service was held at Christ Church Cathedral in Fredericton NB, in 1991. The little girl's given name was "Moon", and while it wasn't a name I'd likely forget, I continue to this day to pray for her and her Mom, Naomi. Wherever they are on their journey of life they are still God's beloved children... a blessing to the world and marked as Christ's own forever.