Why baptism?

In our modern world, it seems easy to see baptism as some archaic ritual full of symbolism, but devoid of any real meaning or tangible value.  When we look at the reality of the sacrament and the effect of the sacrament on our eternal lives, we start to see the importance and privilege of baptism.

We read in Scripture that the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike.  This is somewhat analogous of the grace of God.  We're all made in the image and likeness of God.  As such, we're all going to be offered the grace of God and have the opportunity to experience the joy of that grace.  However, sin becomes an impediment that blocks our ability to fully receive and respond to the grace God offers everyone.  While an unbaptized person may receive some of God grace and experience a certain level of joy from grace, a baptized person will have the impediments of original sin removed through the sacrament.  This will allow the baptized person to receive more grace and respond to grace more joyfully.

The phrase, “God became man that man might become God,” was credited to Saint Athanasius.  This is referring to our capacity to fully participate in the divine nature of God through the sacraments Christ instituted in the Church, and later in the presence of the beatific vision in heaven.  This mystical union with Christ is the climax of the human experience and the epitome of what true joyfulness can be.

It is baptism that begins the process of divinization in our soul.  It is baptism that indelibly marks us as adopted children of God the Father through Jesus Christ.  It is baptism that anoints us to be priests, prophets, and kings in the new creation.  It is baptism that dedicates our souls to be temples of the Holy Spirit.  As Saint Peter said, "Baptism now saves you."

The Canaanite woman from the Gospel of Matthew understood this well when Jesus said, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."  Her response was "…even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."  Living an unbaptized life is like living the life of the Canaanite woman.  How inexplicable her joy must have been when her impediments were removed and she heard Jesus say, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."  

This is the power of our Blessed Lord through baptism!