Baptism of Rebecca Catherine Grace Carswell

We gather today to celebrate the baptism of Rebecca Catherine Grace Carswell. As Christians, we belong to the Mystical Church of the Body of Christ, and as the first of the Sacraments of initiation, we are all gathered here to welcome young Rebecca into a relationship with Jesus Christ. In some parts of the world we call this occasion a ‘Christening’ – that is, where she takes on Christ and Christ claims her for himself. It is a special occasion for the parents, and for the god-parents, and her wider family. But it is also a wonderful celebration for the Church.

When Rebecca was born, Meghan and Peter named their child. In giving her a name, this was the first of many gifts she would receive. I think it is wonderful that she has been given for one of her names Grace – because that is the gift she receives today – baptismal grace, which welcomes her into the Faith.

And so after her name, perhaps one of the greatest gifts she can receive is the gift of faith, a gift that is constantly given and received as she grows older and takes on her own role in life and in the Church and in Society. It is by baptism that God gives the grace of the Holy Spirit. Let us recall from the scriptures when Jesus was being baptized that the heavens opened and God the Father said this is my son, the beloved. Jesus said let the little children come to Him.

Today we honor this command as the Church accepts Meghan’s and Peter’s request that their child be baptized. The entire Church rejoices with this family and with Rebecca, and we willingly embrace her as a Christian and follower of Jesus Christ – the name that is above all other names.

When we entered the Church we began this service by asking what was the name that Meghan and Peter had given their daughter. This is because when one is baptized, they enter into a relationship with God not as a slave, but as a friend and child of God who know each other’s names. It is as if we are doing the formal introductions between Rebecca and God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – and we are all witnesses to that joyous event.

We also signed Rebecca with the sign of the cross which is the mark of Christians because Jesus Christ died on the cross.

But we are all gathered here because we too remember our own baptism, and how important the Faith is for each one of us. Even if we practice it differently – we recognize a common baptism and belief in Jesus Christ – and this is what we celebrate this morning.

For those of us unfamiliar with Baptism in this Church, please allow me to just explain briefly what is going to happen in this service. Just now we shall say some prayers, to which the response is ‘Lord, graciously hear us’. These prayers are to intercede to God and ask him to bless Rebecca, and her family. We then ask the Saints to pray for us too, because we believe they can pray for us when we can’t. We then exorcise and anoint Rebecca with the Oil of Catechumens. This is to remove the stain of Original Sin from her and to prepare her to receive the new life we all believe that we all receive in Jesus Christ.

In Baptism we make use of several symbols – these are outward signs representing a deeper reality. The oils have been blessed at the Cathedral during the Chrism Mass before Easter. After we have anointed Rebecca we then bless the water which will cleanse Rebecca, and we publicly, on Rebecca behalf, renounce sin and Satan. At that point the actual baptism takes place and we then anoint Rebecca again with another oil, the Oil of Chrism. This signifies that Rebecca is a full Christian, a priest, a prophet and a queen in the eyes of God. In this royal, priestly and prophetic state we then clothe her in White to signify she is a new creation. We will then light the candle, that represents the flame of faith the parents and God-parents have promised to keep alive for Rebecca until she is old enough to tend it herself.

Let us for a brief moment pause to thank God for our own faith, and ask him for the Grace that we might be better examples for Rebecca. And now, let us pray to God together so that we might share this gift of Faith to Rebecca as well.