BAPTISM; THE CLEANSING WAY OF INCREASING YOUR GRACE 2

BAPTISM; THE CLEANSING WAY OF INCREASING YOUR GRACE 2

Once more we are reminded of the baptism of our Lord, which was the curtain raiser to his earthly ministry. It began his mission of the gathering all the people into the one family of God and leading them back to his father. Jesus went doing good, touching human lives healing people free them darkness of sin and directing them lives worthy of calling. We too have been chosen to continue this saving work, which Christ began, and to be part of this mission in the world we live in. At the moment of our baptism the seed of God’s life was planted within us. That grace-filled day was but the start of our conversion. It takes a lifetime for that see of God’s love to grow, mature and blossom. The only home for a Christian to live in is Christ and we should settle for nothing less. If we are to enter into this new an exciting experience as members of God’s family we must have a clear idea of what kind of family we are meant to be. To follow the way traced out by Christ, who is our brother, demands a loving personal response on our part. Baptism is dedication of self to the call of Jesus who went about doing well.
This is a time to reflect on the extent to which Christ has penetrated our thoughts and influenced our behavior. We are what we do. How many of us can honestly say we leading lives which are worthy of our baptismal calling? The power of God shines were we least expect it and in the most unlikely places. His spirit will be at work and incredibly active in the depth of our person when we open our hearts to those who have lost their dignity poverty or hard times. We preach not by the world but by the way we live and by the effort we exert to make the world a better place by our presence. The practice of charity and humility spotlights what is wrong with selfishness and arrogance. It exposes evil and shamefulness what they are. The example we display in our everyday activities paves the way for Christ mission. God works through ordinary people like us. As the baptism ceremony states, ‘We are to walk always as children of thee light, keeping the flame of faith burning brightly within our hearts’. Being a disciple of Christ demands outstanding service. It costs no less than everything.