Baptismal Anniv

I believe all of us knows when our birthdays are. Either celebrate it pompously or simply, celebrations are part of our culture. But if asked, do you still know when were you baptized?

We never celebrated this in my home when I was little. But when I started to have a family of my own, we do celebrate it. Both Dear Hubby and I were baptized on December 30^th. This was when baptismal rites has been free of charge ( even today) because it's the city’s fiesta. We both hail from the same place by the way.  My sonny’s baptismal date was September 20^th. He was 3 months old  then.

Last month, we celebrated my son’s 5th baptismal anniversary. It was just a simple close family gathering.  He thought that it was his birthday again with carbonara, fried chicken and cake served. We were not able to invite guests but still some friends and his godparents who remembered sent their greetings. We attended the mass to start the day.  He was not given any material gift unlike during his birthdays.Good thing he did not look  for one.  We just blessed him with our prayers. As naive as ever, he just simply said “ Wow, love naman ako ni Papa God. Dalawa birthdays ko.”

It was our parish priest who brought out the idea to celebrate it just as we celebrate birthdays. It is  a celebration of life. I believe other religion groups are also celebrating their baptismal anniversaries.  We celebrate baptismal anniversary as thanksgiving for the life  God has given us. When we were born, God gave us the life because He loves us. This is an opportunity.  When we were baptized, we were asked to live in one with Christ. This is a mission. As Catholics, it is truly a big responsibility to live a life in accordance with our sacred vow during the baptismal rites. We are to speak, to act and to think in God’s glory and  to  renounce Satan. In our Catholic teachings, through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ. In doing so we and the rest of his god parents  are accepting the responsibility of training him in the practice of the faith. It will be our duty to bring him  up to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us- by loving God and others. We chose his god parents as his second parents, his prayer warriors.  A gift of prayer is priceless. It is also our task to explain to him  little by little why we celebrate this kind of event. We would want to explain it to him in the most simplest way possible and in all honestly. We don’t celebrate it out of nothing.  Father God gave him to us as a precious gift. We offered him to Father God to give thanks. Let God be his  guide as always.  We do hope in years to come, let this tradition lives on in the family and to your families as well.

Blessed day everyone.

Reference readings: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a1.htm