Easter Vigil Baptismal Homily

in Honor of Alesandro Gabriel Fernandez Gopal
April 15, 2006

The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt

St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA

In a few minutes, Alesandro Gabriel will be baptized into the body of Christ, making him a full member of the Christian Church. This means that tonight we are beginning the process of the making of a saint. The word saint comes from the Latin word, Sanctus, which means holy. So, what is it that makes a saint, holy? Is it human perfection, never making a mistake? NO! Is it being a compliant, going along with the flow and never questioning the wisdom of the world? NO! Is it being sweet and nice in the face of injustice and unrighteousness? NO! What is necessary in order to become a saint is placing Christ at the center of our lives. This means that we consider God’s will when we make decisions, use our gifts, and interact with our neighbor.

Now it is not easy to be a saint in the modern world where self-centeredness, immediate gratification, and violence is the reigning ethos. That is why it takes a whole community to raise a Christian. That is why baptism is a public event, which calls upon the support of the entire community of faith. Of course, the parents have the largest responsibility. They are responsible for seeing that Alesandro is brought up in the Christian faith and life. They are to pray for him and through their word and example, help this child grow into the full stature of Christ.

But they cannot do this alone. They need you, the community of faith, to help guide Alesandro into the full stature of Christ. This is how you can help:

Support his family. Being parents in the 21st century is a difficult task. Offer them your concern and care when needed.
Nurture and love Alesandro as a member of our church. Speak to him at coffee hour, celebrate his growth, and guide him when he forgets that he is a child of God.
Pray for him and for the grace to become a responsible, caring, and productive adult in society.
Volunteer to be part of the Sunday School Program. Modeling compassionate behavior is most important. But concrete instruction is vital.
Finally, encourage him and his family to attend church every week. Each Sunday we gather together to pray, worship, hear the Holy Scriptures and to reflect on the power and grace of God in our lives. You will not hear this story of sacrificial love in the secular world.

We baptize infants, because the first seven years are the most influential years in the spiritual development of a child. If these vows are taken in sincerity by the parents and godparents, you can be sure that these vows will have an impact on the development of the child.

Holy Baptism is the sacrament by which God adopts us as his children. The outward and visible sign in Baptism is water and the inward and spiritual grace is birth into the family of God, forgiveness of sins, and new life in the Holy Spirit. In baptism, we “re-center ourselves” from a place of “me” to a place of “Christ.” So let’s get on with the business of “saint making” and mark Alesandro as Christ’s own forever.

Updated 4/15/06

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