20210814 ADULT BAPTISM VS INFANT BAPTISM
14 August, 2021, Saturday, 19th Week, Ordinary Time
First reading | Joshua 24:14-29 © |
'The Lord is a holy God, a jealous God'
Joshua said to all the people, ‘Fear the Lord and serve him perfectly and sincerely; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if you will not serve the Lord, choose today whom you wish to serve, whether the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are now living. As for me and my House, we will serve the Lord.’
The people answered, ‘We have no intention of deserting the Lord and serving other gods! Was it not the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, the house of slavery, who worked those great wonders before our eyes and preserved us all along the way we travelled and among all the peoples through whom we journeyed? What is more, the Lord drove all those peoples out before us, as well as the Amorites who used to live in this country. We too will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’
Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You cannot serve the Lord, because he is a holy God, he is a jealous God who will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you desert the Lord to follow alien gods he in turn will afflict and destroy you after the goodness he has shown you.’ The people answered Joshua, ‘No; it is the Lord we wish to serve.’ Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.’ They answered, ‘We are witnesses.’ ‘Then cast away the alien gods among you and give your hearts to the Lord the God of Israel!’ The people answered Joshua, ‘It is the Lord our God we choose to serve; it is his voice that we will obey.’
That day, Joshua made a covenant for the people; he laid down a statute and ordinance for them at Shechem. Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a great stone and set it up there, under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord, and Joshua said to all the people, ‘See! This stone shall be a witness against us because it has heard all the words that the Lord has spoken to us: it shall be a witness against you in case you deny your God.’ Then Joshua sent the people away, and each returned to his own inheritance.
After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died; he was a hundred and ten years old.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-8,11 © |
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.
You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Col3:16a,17 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,
find a home with you;
through him give thanks to God the Father.
Alleluia!
Or: | Mt11:25 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Matthew 19:13-15 © |
Do not stop the little children coming to me
People brought little children to Jesus, for him to lay his hands on them and say a prayer. The disciples turned them away, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ Then he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
ADULT BAPTISM VS INFANT BAPTISM
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Josh 24:14-29; Ps 16:1-2,5,7-8,11; Mt 19:13-15]
Should we baptize our children when they are young, especially when they are infants? Or, as some people think, we should wait for them to be adults so that they can make a conscientious decision for Christ, otherwise they might not be serious in their commitment to the Lord. Some have cited many Catholics and Christians who were baptized at birth who are now lacking in zeal for their faith. Rationally, delaying their baptism seems to be the right thing since baptism requires faith and consent to be valid. Without a personal faith in Christ, we would not bear the fruits of baptism. Indeed, different Church traditions view this issue differently, including individual Christians and Catholics. Some are against infant or children’s baptism and some are for it.
Those who support the idea that baptism should only be for adults, imply that one must understand fully in order to commit oneself to a relationship with the Lord. Such a rationalistic view seems to hold water when we read today’s first reading when Joshua, after settling the Israelites down in Jordan and Canaan, asked them to renew their commitment to the Lord. They were asked to make their choice carefully because their decision would have serious implications. Joshua gave them the warning, “You cannot serve the Lord, because he is a holy God, he is a jealous God who will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you desert the Lord to follow alien gods he in turn will afflict and destroy you after the goodness he has shown you.” There is no question of a divided loyalty to God since Yahweh had shown that He is above all gods. All other gods are illusions and they are nothing. Only the God of Israel is the true God.
Indeed, one’s commitment to the Lord cannot be made without serious consideration. It cannot be a haphazard or even an emotional decision. Joshua urged his people twice, to examine their decision to choose the Lord. This was because they seemed so overly confident of their decision. They said it with such confidence because they had seen how the Lord worked for them. “We have no intention of deserting the Lord and serving other Gods! Was it not the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, the house of slavery, who worked those great wonders before our eyes and preserved us all along the way we travelled? What is more, the Lord drove all those people out before us, as well as the Amorites who used to live in this country. We too will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” And again, when Joshua warned them that God is a holy and jealous God, they insisted, “No; it is the Lord we wish to serve.” So they were fully aware of what the Lord had done for them and also the responsibilities of the covenant on their part if God were to be their Lord. And to ensure that they were true to their commitment, Joshua had witnesses. “He took a great stone and set it up there, under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord, and Joshua said to all the people, ‘See! This stone shall be a witness against us because it has heard all the words that the Lord has spoken to us: it shall be a witness against you in case you deny your God.'”
Yet, what happened later? The warning of Joshua came true eventually. They could not be trusted to keep their promise. In fact, just like their forefathers, they never changed. They were as rebellious and as disobedient as them. Instead of serving God totally and pledging allegiance to Him alone, they worshipped the god of the Amorites, the Canaanite gods. In the next book of Judges, we read how they repeatedly disobeyed God and went after false gods. God would punish them and then they would repent for a while. “Then the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and worshiped the Baals; and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they followed other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were all around them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord, and worshiped Baal and the Astartes.” (Jdg 2:11-13)
Unfortunately, we repeat the same mistakes of our forefathers. Even today, when we are baptized or when we are married, we also have witnesses; not just our god-parents or witnesses as in a marriage, but the witness of the entire Catholic community symbolized by the stones and the walls of the church. Isn’t it true that when we go back to the church where we were baptized, we have nostalgic feelings and we are reminded of the commitment we made, or our parents made on our behalf? But very soon, we also slacken in our faith. We lose our zeal and fervour. We stop praying and reading the scriptures. Eventually, we also stop going to church. Instead of spending time with the Catholic community, we spend more time with our friends in the political, corporate and social world. We adopt their values, their thinking and their lifestyle. Very soon, we begin to be like them, ambitious, materialistic, worldly and self-centred, living only for this life and for ourselves. These are the false gods we will chase after when we abandon God in our life.
On the other hand, we also have seen many good and devout Catholics who were baptized as infants. They were brought up in the faith. Some have good Catholic parents who could edify them. Some do not have Catholic parents who are fervent in faith but they have good Catholic friends or relatives who helped them to be connected to the Church and the Catholic community. Because of them, they remained strong in their faith and faithful to the teaching of the scriptures and the Church. They attend services, formation talks and render their services to the Church, the community and the poor. Of course, we also have many who lost their faith and stopped going to church after receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, which ironically has been labelled as the sacrament of farewell. How could this happen? Simply because their faith had not grown over all these years and the Sacrament of Confirmation, which is virtually administered to those who reach a certain age, is received superstitiously or, worse still, merely ritually. There is no change or effect in their lives because they are not disposed to the Sacrament. So adult baptism is no guarantee that simply because one understands the faith, one will be faithful to Christ. Many also slip away after a while. Similarly, infant baptism is no guarantee that the child would also be faithful to Christ.
This does not mean that just because they do not understand the faith, whether as adult or child, we should not baptize them. In the gospel, Jesus welcomed the children. These children are not necessarily those who are young but also those who are children in faith, with little knowledge and understanding. The Lord told His disciples not to hinder them from coming to Him. What is significant is that even though the children might not have fully grasped who Jesus truly was, they could experience His love and care. This is the beginning of faith. And hence, we read that they too received the blessings of Christ all the same. This explains why in the early Church, the entire household was baptized. This was the case of Lydia and the Jailer. (Acts 16:15,33)
Faith is more than mere reasoning and understanding. It is also a personal encounter of His love even if we do not understand. It is love that establishes trust and trust aids understanding over time. So, children are capable of having a relationship with Jesus even if they do not know all the doctrines. At any rate, conviction is not just of the head but of the heart. Knowledge is always ongoing and there is no end to learning about our faith. At the end of the day it is grace at work in our lives in different ways. Some adults became fervent in their faith and some leave after RCIA. Some children become great Christian leaders, others leave as well. All received the same seed that was sown but there are different levels of receptivity. Of course, it also depends a lot on the community they belong to, whether they are faith-filled and exemplary in their faith. The “stone” that can strengthen their faith is Christ and the Church as the living stones. The key to remaining strong in the faith is to belong to a Catholic community and to have good mentors to guide them. Unless they belong to a faith-sharing group and experience the support of the community, it is difficult to grow in grace.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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