S1 E6: The Power of Baptism

Transcript

Carol Vassar:

From SS. Isidore and Maria Parish in Glastonbury, Connecticut, I'm Carol Vassar, and this is Living in Faith, Hope, and Love. Each week, our Pastor, Father Mark Suslenko, delves into Scripture, shares insights from the saints, prophets, and theologians, and discusses practical ways to cultivate faith, strengthen hope, and embody love in the world around us. Through his reflections and spiritual encouragement, this podcast aims to inspire you to live your Catholic faith with joy and purpose. Welcome.  

In this episode we’re calling “The Power of Baptism,” Father Mark points out that to be baptized is a profound and foundational act of grace, marking the beginning of a lifelong and eternal relationship with God. It holds such importance that even Jesus himself came to the Jordan River to be baptized, as outlined in this week’s Gospel reading from Luke, Chapter 3, verses 15, 16, 21 and 22: 

The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
 
 After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Gospel of the Lord

“The Power of Baptism,” by Father Mark S. Suslenko, Pastor, SS. Isidore and Maria Parish, Glastonbury, Connecticut

Father Mark Suslenko:

We do not always give enough credence to the power that is found in the sacrament of baptism. For many folks, their baptism is their entrance into the Christian community, becoming a member of a wider group accepting their faith in Jesus Christ.  And when it is concluded, that's where it stays, and it really doesn't have much import for living out the rest of one's life. But there is great power in the sacrament of baptism because when those waters are poured upon us, there is an inward change that actually occurs. Our souls are changed, and we are brought into a very intimate relationship with God as one of his sons and daughters. That intimate relationship then marks us forever, and its power is found in negotiating two very important things we encounter:  our way through this world and this life and preparing for the life to come in eternity. So. the power that is given to us in baptism allows us to find our way through this life and then prepare for the eternity that is to come. 

Pope Benedict is said to have believed that being Christian is learning how to become human again. And it begs the question then, if baptism makes us Christian and being a Christian brings us into our humanity again,  then its significance goes far beyond what we may believe.   

As we go about the business of our lives, where do we go to find benchmarks for how we're doing as human beings to judge our behaviors?  If we want to set a goal for ourselves, whom do we consult?  What advice do we seek?  Well, we can certainly look to psychology and modern science and philosophy, and other like disciplines, and every one of them has something to say about what it means to be human.  But we have to admit that all of those are incomplete in and of themselves. They each only go so far, and the knowledge that they purport is ever-changing. And the question becomes, is it always reliable?  So where, then, do we go to assess ourselves?  

Well, if being Christian brings us more deeply into our human experience, then baptism is a good place to start for judging our behavior and setting our goals.  You see, baptism gives us an anchor. It sets us firm in our identity as a son or daughter of God. We don't have to worry about who we are anymore. That has been decided for us by our Creator.  Each one of us has God's divine DNA. In the core of our souls. We come from God. That's a given.  And so if we want to know how to then proceed from that point, we don't seek the knowledge outside from that, but we consult the master planner himself, the one who designed and made us, the one who has taken us as his own and getting our cues from that, we then can act in the world, not just as one among many, but as a unique, gifted child of God who has a unique mission to accomplish. It also orientates us to our future and reminds us that it's not just about this life that we are to be concerned, but we're on a road and a journey to something far greater. That there are lasting consequences to our behaviors and our choices, and it is eternity toward which all of us want to strive and work. 

Unfortunately, when we begin to make decisions in our life, we often do them impulsively. We do them based on our emotions and often on whim and desire. And if we make our choices in life, especially the bigger ones that really have a claim on us, they can easily bring us down the wrong road and lead us into trouble.  Baptism clears the waters, so to speak, and gives us that anchor and gives us that reference point for making good Gospel-based decisions as we go about the business of our lives. The waters of baptism claiming us as one of God's children and orientating us to eternity reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters and that we're meant to care for one another. That we're called to care for God's creation, find room for those who are seeking refuge, worrying about those who are sick and troubled, the vulnerable and the needy, the poor among us. We are called to live lives of mercy and forgiveness, and love that stretches us beyond ourselves. We're called to see death as the avenue to new life and to see God as the bigger picture toward which we strive. Those Gospel values based on justice and mercy and forgiveness found in the Beatitudes that Jesus preached become what we own ourselves and what we use to make those decisions that we're going to be called to make.  

Now, is being a Christian important to us? Is discovering our true humanity important to us?  Well, look at other things we strive to accomplish. If we want to improve ourselves at work,  if we want to become a better spouse, if we want to fine-tune our gifts and talents as a parent, if I want to succeed at sports, if I want to accomplish something else that I desire, the one thing we know about ourselves is that it's not going to come easy, that it requires a lot of effort, a lot of sacrifice, and a lot of hard work. If we truly want to achieve a goal, we have to work and work and work until what we achieve becomes something we embody and something we truly obtain.  

Our life as a Christian is no different. Our second reading today says that we need to temperately, that is, moderately, justly and devoutly. Look out at the world in which we live. It's not easy going into a world of self-indulgence and living a temperate, moderate life. It’s not easy to go into a world of injustice and stand up for true justice and righteousness.  It's not easy to live in a world that increasingly wants to take God out of the picture and live lives that are devout and holy. To do so requires determination. To do so requires great resolve. But when we take the step to take our lives as Christians seriously and really delve into the mystery and sacredness, and power of our baptism, we're going to find ourselves living much differently and, in the end, much more prepared for the eternal life to come. You see, baptism is not just about being a part of a community or becoming a member of a special club. It's something that directs and orientates us in a true and real way to how to order our lives here on earth and prepare for the eternal life that one day awaits as we all live in joyful hope of that day. 

Lastly, baptism reminds us that we are loved. St. Josephine Bakhita  (a great story to read sometime and pay attention to her journey to faith) is all centered around her realization that God loved her. But even more importantly, that God was awaiting her in heaven. Imagine as we live our life, that we are so loved by God that he awaits that time when we can be united one-on-one in the great, joyful reunion of heavenly bliss. Our baptism is so greatly important. Remember its power in how we live out our daily lives. Remember its power as we work out our path to eternal life as well. 

Carol Vassar:

Father Mark Suslenko is the pastor of SS. Isidore and Maria Parish in Glastonbury, Connecticut. If you like what you've heard today, please subscribe to Living in Faith, Hope, and Love on your favorite podcast app, and take a moment to leave a review.

SS. Isidore and Maria is an active parish community, so whether you’re a long-time parishioner or are just getting to know us through this podcast, we welcome you to join us at Masses or any of our other community events and services. Visit our parish website - isidoreandmaria.org - for a full schedule of Masses, services and other happenings. That's isidoreandmaria.org. We're also active on Facebook and Instagram.

On behalf of Father Mark, I'm Carol Vassar, and we thank you for listening to this episode of Living in Faith, Hope, and Love.