Do you know why we make the sign of the cross when we enter a Catholic church? It goes back to the first time the sign of the cross was traced on your forehead at your baptism when the priest said: “The Christian Community welcomes you with great joy. In its name I claim you for Christ our Savior by the Sign of his Cross.” Each time we bless ourselves with Holy Water, we trace the cross (the sign of our salvation) on our bodies. Churches have baptismal fonts and holy water fonts in prominent places to remind us of the importance of our baptism every time we enter a church. Do you know the date of your baptism? Since baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life and the gateway to life in the Spirit, we could celebrate the day as much as we celebrate our birthdays.
Here at Saint Ambrose Parish the beautiful marble baptismal font is at the entrance to the church in order to emphasize the importance of baptism. The entrance is a proper location because it is through baptism that we entered the life of the church.
Next Sunday we will celebrate the Baptism of the Lord Jesus. It’s a time to remember how important baptism is to us since we are disciples of Jesus. Baptisms are so significant to the life of the parish, both the ones we celebrate now and the one your family celebrated when you were baptized.