Strengthen Your Brethren, Sacrament of Baptism- Part 4 - August 27, 2006
After more than a month’s hiatus, we take up again the series on the Sacrament of Baptism. We have already looked at the meaning of Baptism, the responsibilities that parents take on by presenting their child to the Church for Baptism, and the assistance our parish gives to new parents through our revised (infant) Baptism preparation program. In this fourth installment we will examine the role of the godparent.
At the very beginning of the Rite of Baptism for a child, the celebrant asks the parents if they clearly understand what they are undertaking by requesting of the Church Baptism for their child. By their positive response the parents accept the responsibility of training their child in the practice of the faith, the duty to bring their child up to keep God’s commandments by loving God and neighbor (see Rite of Baptism for Children, 77). The celebrant then turns to the godparents asking if they are ready to help the parents in these duties that have just been outlined. A few moments later in the ceremony, the celebrant says to the parents and the godparents: “You have come here to present this child for baptism. By water and the Holy Spirit he (she) is to receive the gift of new life from God, who is love. On your part, you must make it your constant care to bring him (her) up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life God gives him (her) is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in his (her) heart. If your faith makes you ready to accept this responsibility, renew now the vows of your own baptism. Reject sin; profess your faith in Christ Jesus. This is the faith of the Church. This is the faith in which this child is about to be baptized” (Rite of Baptism for Children, 93).
It is notable that the godparents along with the parents present the child, petitioning the Church for the gift of Baptism. By approaching the Church with this request, the godparents – trusting in God’s grace and renewing their own profession of faith – freely embrace the accompanying duties and responsibilities for the spiritual life of their godchild. These duties and responsibilities are not transitory, but rather must be given their constant attention. Among these, the rite mentions the obligation of assisting their godchild to actually live out the faith. The responsibilities of the godparents for the spiritual life of their godchild include a preventative aspect, namely, ensuring that the child is not (unnecessarily) exposed to the poison of sin and those things (and persons) which might be damaging to innocence and faith. The duties of the godparents also include a positive aspect, namely, nurturing that baptismal grace so that it may continually grow and the child may attain heaven. It is only in faith that godparents can embrace such serious obligations. Thus, the rite of Baptism calls for them to renew their own baptismal promises: rejecting sin and the lies of Satan, and professing their faith in the Tri-personal God.
To be a godparent – what an awesome privilege and a grave responsibility! And what care parents must exercise in choosing people for such an important task of faith and love! Remember to pray for your godparents, just as you hope they daily pray for you. Next week we will look at some of the very practical questions with regard to godparents.
Saint Peter, pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization, pray for us!