Thanksgiving for My Baptism

 The voice of the LORD is over the waters . . . Psalm 29:3

I was baptized as a tiny infant in our parish church of the Visitation in the cold of winter. Although I didn’t realize it then, as the water was poured over my head, the ancient words of the sacrament swirled around me. I didn’t know about the baptism by John of Jesus Christ, or about all the references to the Old Testament or about the creation of water. But they were all there as part of my sacramental initiation, linking me to my ancestors and to all those to come. As I meditate today on the water of the baptism of Jesus Christ and of my own, I think of the stewardship of all creation, of conservation of our resources, of Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami, of national parks and of glory of waterfalls, and the voice of the Lord is in it all. How blessed I am! And grateful to my family and my parish who brought me to that font so long ago! Jesus Christ, I remember your baptism today as I thank God for my first sacrament.

Jesus Christ, I remember your baptism today as I thank God for my first sacrament.