“I do” Do you reject sin so as to live in the freedom of God’s children? How easily and confidently we respond to that ritual question. One of the attributes distinguishing us as a Catholic Christian people at prayer is our ritual dialogue (or at least it will be until our Missal changes again). We know that the “correct” response to this question is “I do.” We believe that the faithful way to respond is boldly, with certain knowledge that we have been redeemed. While gathered around font and table, our courage comes from voices raised as one. Still, carrying that conviction out into the world demands much of us. Opportunities for embracing sin abound in our world, and simply avoiding sin is not enough. We are called to actively reject that which seeks to disrupt our relationship with God and with each other, to cast out everything that tears at the fabric of our community in Christ. We not only choose to reject sin in our own lives, but we also dedicate ourselves to the rejection of sin in the world. This is the basis of our social conscience. This cannot be separated from liturgy, and it cannot be ignored in our personal lives. To remain silent is not a rejection of sin and, in fact, may prevent us from living in the freedom of God’s children. We are called in baptism to be living examples of the freedom promised us when we commit willingly to lives worthy of that call. “Baptism is the sacrament by which men and women are incorporated into the Church, built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit, into a holy nation and a royal priesthood. It is a sacramental bond of unity linking all who have been signed by it (Rite of Baptism for Children,General Introduction 4). In that unity we find the power to renounce sin and profess faith by living in a vibrantly Christian way.   This issue of ML focuses on baptism and its many facets. Mary Ann Paulukonis takes a broad approach, offering ways to form the entire community for participation in this sacrament. David Fedor speaks of the often neglected or misunderstood role of godparents beyond the moment of baptism. Patricia Parachini shares her perspective on how baptism compels all of us to service in varied ways as members of the priesthood of the faithful. Ron Raab reflects on his father’s life and how it modeled for him a baptismal way of living. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth? We who are formed in God’s image are intimately connected to the kingdom of God. In Christ and with Christ, we span the distance between heaven and earth. In the same way, our sacraments connect us both to the created world and to the heavenly kingdom. The water of baptism is the water that surrounds us before birth, the water we drink to sustain life, and the water that consumes us with the wonder of life in Christ. When we respond to this primary question, may it be with a sense of wonder rather than out of habit. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? This defines who we are. Here we profess what the world dismisses as nonsense: a child born of a virgin was in fact the Son of God, labored in service to those lost in sin, gave his life in love, died, rose to live again, and reigns now with God for all eternity. In this, we reject the beliefs of this world and embrace the faith of Christ. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting? Here we commit ourselves—heart, mind, and soul—to the faith of the church. In a real sense, this is our commissioning to ministry. We serve by virtue of our own baptism, and all that we are as a Christian people flows from these mysteries. From the white garment of baptism, to the alb of ministry, to the pall of burial, our lives are one in Christ. May our words always echo our desire — “I do.” ML SUBSCRIBE NOW! What do YOU Think? Send an e-mail to ML Editor or post an entry on the ML Current Issue Discussion Board. (All submissions become the property of RPI and may be edited for length.)