Catholic Activity: Day Fifteen—Activities for the Feast of the Baptism of Christ

This is a wonderful day to recall to mind and renew our baptismal vows, and to celebrate the wonderful gift God has given us. Invite your children's godparents to drop in and take part in the day's festivities.

DIRECTIONS

From Christmas to Candlemas in a Catholic Home:

An idea is to hold open house and let the children's godparents drop in when they please.... Bring out the baptismal gowns if you have saved them. Reminisce about each child's baptismal day, which is his or her rebirth in Christ. With godparents and family gathered in the living room, light the children's baptismal candles, or light a holy candle for each child. When the candles are ready, the father presents one to each child and prays as the Church did at baptism:

You have become a new creation, and have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.

Receive this burning light. This light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. Safeguard your baptism by a blameless life. Keep the Commandments of God, that when our Lord shall come to claim His own, you may be worthy to greet Him, with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom. Amen.

Grown-ups and children repeat together their baptismal vows:

I (name--) promise to reject Satan, and all his works and empty promises.

Then recite the Apostles Creed, which repeats the basic beliefs of our faith:

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I 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. Amen.

Then follows a Christmas song.

This ceremony takes only a few minutes, but leaves a memory that lasts a lifetime and builds a sense of security in children. It also focuses their attention on the wonderful gift of Baptism.

After the ceremony, serve children's punch and Initial Cookies, cut and baked in the initials of each present. Also serve the cookies called Christ's diapers. Although He was grown when he received baptism from John the Baptist, we are reminded of his infancy and our baptism at childhood.

Based on Helen McLoughlin's Christmas to Candlemas in a Catholic Home.

Activity Source: Original Text (JGM) by Jennifer Gregory Miller, © Copyright 2003-2023 by Jennifer Gregory Miller