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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2009 /  'I baptize you …'

by Fr. Steve Wertanen special to The Michigan Catholic
Published April 17, 2009

Fr. Steve Wertanen

The nights spent teaching baptism preparations are great times to help others learn about our faith. There have been times, however, when parents of infants have made it obvious they didn't want to be there that night, and they show it! But by the end of the presentation, for the most part, they have had a change of heart. Hopefully they leave having learned something they didn't learn as a child.

The first thing that I tell them is this, "If there is one thing I want you to leave knowing, it is that baptism is not magic!" Just because you have your child baptized don't think that, no matter what he or she does for the rest his or her life, they will automatically go to heaven. The same holds for those baptized as adults. Baptism is a gift! But, it is a gift that comes with a responsibility. When a child is baptized, the parents take on the responsibility to help the child in this life-long journey of faith. Parents need to realize that they are the first and primary catechists of their children. The Church is there to help them, but the parents are to take the lead in assisting the child to grow in faith.

Well, then, what is the gift received at baptism? There are actually a number of them. First, all sins are forgiven, both original and personal, as well as the punishment for sin. Nothing would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God; neither, Adam's sin, personal sin, nor the consequences of sin. Here's what happens: When a person is baptized, they are baptized into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This is why we call the baptismal font the "tomb" of the Church. This reality is symbolized most effectively in a submersible font. When a person enters into the font and is submersed fully, they enter into the tomb with Christ and die to their selves with Him. But, when they arise from the font, they rise with Jesus Christ and share in His resurrection … new life, they are a new creation!

After I have baptized a baby I raise him or her up to show the congregation and everyone sings "Alleluia!" I am often reminded that what I have in my hands is this precious gift of life, but I am also reminded that this child of 8 pounds — or 9, 10, sometimes 20 pounds! — is a child "filled" with the Holy Spirit! (While baptism is open to those of age, the majority of baptisms in the Church are done for infants.)

The baptized person is, now, a temple of the Holy Spirit! The person is allowed to share in the divinity of Jesus in their lives.

Gregg McIntosh | The Michigan Catholic Fr. Steve Wertanen, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Trenton, anoints Les Raebel, 60, (above) with oil at his baptism at the Easter vigil Saturday. Fr. Wertanen pours holy water over Raebel (left) at his baptism. The two worked together years ago at J. Walter Thompson, Detroit.

In the Catholic Church, the baptismal font is also called the "womb" of the Church. As Jesus is the bridegroom and the Church is the bride, from the union of these two spouses come forth "new life" in baptism; that is, we are "born again"! If you have ever attended the Easter Vigil, did you notice how the baptismal font, with brand new water, is blessed? The priest takes the large paschal candle and submerses the candle into the font (the womb of the Church) three times praying "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." The Church is rather intentional in the symbolism of the intimate marital act simulated by the candle (Christ) submersed into the font (the womb of the Church, the bride), because from this font (womb) comes forth new life from the union between Jesus, the bridegroom, with His spouse, the Church. Explaining this, I always have to refrain from blushing and, I find, people will not look at the paschal candle the same way again! But, this is the beauty of what, in reality, happens in baptism. We become temples of the Holy Spirit, adopted children of God, a partaker of the divine nature, a member of Jesus Christ, we become a part of the Body of Christ and the family of God! We become, in reality, brothers and sisters in the Lord! How right it is that we should all sing, "Alleluia!" after one is baptized! They are now our new brother or sister in the Lord! If only we would understand this reality and treat others and become concerned about one another as we would our own "blood" brothers and sisters … this world would be transformed! We would treat others differently.

Gregg McIntosh | The Michigan Catholic Fr. Steve Wertanen, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Trenton, anoints Les Raebel, 60, (above) with oil at his baptism at the Easter vigil Saturday. Fr. Wertanen pours holy water over Raebel (left) at his baptism. The two worked together years ago at J. Walter Thompson, Detroit.

I guess that takes us back to the "responsibility" we have with this "gift" of baptism. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, forgiven of our sins and becoming a child of God, we are responsible for this gift by being the children of God that we were created and intended to be! Many times, I will remind my parishioners (and myself) that Jesus may not be walking among us as He did 2,000 years ago as they can see me when I am with them at Mass. But Jesus is walking among us, today. He desires to walk, talk, reach out, help, teach, heal, etc., through us! We are the Body of Christ! We have been baptized into the life of Christ! We have been given the gift of new life. We are responsible to be Christ to others, especially in a world that so needs to know the love of Jesus.

In other words, if people in the world today do not know Christ, it's not God's fault. It is ours. God sent His Son into the world to die for our sins. He sends us the gift of baptism that makes us a new creation. If the world does not know Christ, it is most likely because, we who have been baptized have not been the presence of Christ to others. We are given the wonderful gift and we have the wonderful responsibility to make Jesus Christ present.

There is so much more that could be said about baptism and it would be easy to be criticized for leaving out the true fullness of this sacrament! What I find is necessary for most Catholics to understand is that:

1.) Baptism is not magic!

2.) We are made a new creation in Christ, and

3.) We have a responsibility, given this gift, to be Christ to others and to bring forth the Kingdom of God!

If this were truly understood seriously, we would be a beacon of light to the world that would never have to ask, "Where is God?"

Fr. Steve Wertanen is pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Trenton. He was baptized on July 28, 1963.