Baptismal Liturgy
We follow the Paschal Candle to the font, the wellspring of the Church. We call down the prayers of the saints over us. We bless the water with which we will bring new people into the Church and we will renew our own baptismal commitment to discipleship. The prayer of blessing is filled with imagery of water in our Scriptures: the Spirit hovers over the waters at creation; the flood at the time of Noah; the journey dry-shod across the Red Sea as the Israelites are freed from slavery in Egypt; the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. All of this death and new life are met in the waters of baptism as we rise to new life in Christ. This blessing can be used in private prayer before the Easter Vigil so that we can reflect on the meaning of these images.
This newly blessed water is used to baptize new Christians in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Also, we renew our baptismal promises and are blessed with this same water.
Then, depending on circumstances in your parish, those seeking confirmation join the newly baptized in receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. Fragrant oil, consecrated earlier by the bishop at the Chrism Mass, is poured onto the head—an ancient sign of the Spirit’s seal and our new life as priests, prophets, and kings.