Baptism Homily for James Brockman
Ezekiel 36: 24-28; John 3: 1-6
Dc. Larry Brockman
Today we gather to celebrate James Michael Brockman’s Baptism. And Baptism is a rite of passage, one in which a person is reborn by water and the Holy Spirit.
All of us are first born into life in this world. And we would just belong to this world unless we somehow long for something more than that. That something more is everlasting life with our creator. But just how do we achieve that- everlasting life with our creator? Well, it requires a rite of passage.
In our Gospel, Nicodemus was confused by Jesus’ comments that one needed to be reborn of water and the spirit in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Well, that is what Baptism does for the person. Baptism is the rite of passage that opens up the way to everlasting life. When a person is Baptized, they are reborn by water and the spirit. The water washes away their sin; even if it is just the human tendency to sin by our imperfect nature. We call that Original Sin. And then they are reborn in Spirit, by receiving God’s spirit. God’s Spirit changes everything because it inspires a person to align themselves with God’s will for them. That’s really the secret- aligning our lives to God’s will for us.
James Michael is too young for a conscious decision to do God’s will. But his parents and Godparents are here to make that decision for him by proxy, and then by living a life that gives James a good example.
Later on, James will be confirmed in his faith as a teenager. That is when he will confirm his acceptance of the faith his parents chose for him today. And so, the Church welcomes James today, a new soldier for Christ. Rejoice, because James is an heir to everlasting life in the Kingdom of God
