Alleluia, Alleluia

The baptisms of my children are some of the most important days in my life.  And probably because I in some way grasp that, they are also slightly overwhelming.  I will cry through every single baptism I go to, even the ones where I don’t even know the people, maybe especially those because of the understanding of our connection in the Body of Christ.  But for my own children, there is so much going on (Did Tate really just jump right in front of the altar and rip his jacket off?) and as a parent or godparent, so many important vows to make (Will you be responsible for seeing that the child you present is brought up in the Christian faith and life?  I will, with God’s help) that I can’t seem to really let it soak in fully, in the moment.  I’m so grateful that every baptism includes a renewal of our own baptismal covenant, so that when I celebrate my nephew’s baptism next weekend, or the baptism of any child at any service, these baptisms tie to my children’s baptisms…and to my own baptism, and to all baptisms.  Alleluia, Alleluia.

In the wake of preparation and a full weekend, I’ve been rereading the service for Holy Baptism in the Book of Common Prayer-

We thank you, Father, for the water of Baptism.  In it we are buried with Christ in his death.  By it we share in his resurrection.  Through it we are reborn by the Holy Spirit.  Therefore in joyful obedience to your Son, we bring into his fellowship those who come to him in faith, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Somehow each of our children’s set of godparents has seemed to be a perfect match for that child.  For Holly, her godparents are both people we met in our early days at Palmer and who have been friends to us from the beginning.  We ask a lot of godparents-

Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow into the full stature of Christ? 
I will, with God’s help.

I’m ever thankful for our children’s godparents for agreeing to take that on with us.   Helping a child grow into the full stature of Christ is way beyond the skill set of parents alone.  I’m thankful that everyone in the service vows to do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ.   

Family and godparents came over early in the day for brunch before we headed to the Easter Vigil service that evening.   I need to offer hearty and enthusiastic thanks for all the help in making the day possible. 

To my mom for making fabulous sugar cookie favors, to Trent’s mom for making her world famous sock-it-to-me cakes, to Kim for making extremely festive and cute cupcakes, to Kelley for being the Harry Winston of the family and keeping Holly in accessories, to Hunter, who I could hand a recipe to and say “please make this”, to Trent’s dad for hand washing all our dishes, to all our family for travelling and celebrating with us and supporting us in countless ways:  thank you!

One prayer from the service stood out-

Give them an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of you and wonder in all your works. 

Is there anything better than praying that for Holly, and for Rush and Tate, at their baptisms?  I’m thankful that was prayed for me at my own baptism.  I want to pray that every day, for everyone.  (When I say, “I want to pray that every day” don’t get the wrong idea that I’m actually doing it.  I would like to, yet historically I will forget.  The courage to will and to persevere?  Indeed.)

We could pretty much go through every part of the service and every part would be my favorite part.  Because what about this moment-

Let us welcome the newly baptized.  This is the point when people get overly excited and start clapping, forgetting that we welcome the newly baptized by first saying –and this makes me tear up every time-

We receive you into the household of God.  Confess the faith of Christ crucified, proclaim his resurrection, and share with us in his eternal priesthood.

Then clap and give the peace.  The world needs more of this kind of joy.

I finally got why people will reach out to touch the Pope or travel hundreds of miles to see some earthly item.  Even today when the oil has long since soaked into her skin, I keep smelling Holly’s forehead, trying to inhale something sacred.  We just want to experience something holy.  It was a glorious Easter Sunday to smell the oil from her baptism each time I gave her a kiss.

Easter morning was as joyful as ever.  It was also a major miracle to me that we were able to make it to church on time and all the kids made it through the service.  I was laying awake at 4:30 in the morning in that odd mode of being too tired to sleep, fretting because getting everyone up and ready and to the service seemed impossible, but it all worked out.  After church, Tate really let loose holding Holly’s hands and dancing in the pews to the organ postlude.  Getting home and taking pictures with jackets, ties, and smiles, was honestly just too much to ask.  I’ll take making it to church over the photograph any day.