Module 5 Prayer for the Priest

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY

 MODULE 5

 PRAYER FOR THE PRIEST

Objectives;   By the end of this module you should;

1 Be able to begin a strong personal prayer life
2 Understand that Jesus Christ was a Man of great personal prayer
3 Be able to draw up a personal programme of prayer for yourself as priest
4 Be empowered to lead others in prayer

Contents
Introduction; We follow Jesus of Nazareth Who spent much time in prayer. His deep prayer led to strong and decisive action and service of others.

Jesus of Nazareth – a Man of Prayer
5.1 Jesus has called us to be people of prayer
5.2 Prayer – a sign of Jesus’ humility
5.3 What is prayer?
5.4 Why do we pray?
5.5 How to develop prayer in our lives
5.6 Prayer resources for Christians
5.7 Choice of Prayer Resources
5.8 Prayer transforms our lives

INTRODUCTION

Jesus of Nazareth was a Man of Prayer. We as priests follow in His Footsteps, and draw inspiration from His Life and Values. A strong value of Jesus’ was His personal and public prayer life. So we, too, strive to become people of strong prayer. From our prayer life will flow our devoted and whole hearted service and ministry as priests of Jesus Christ.

JESUS OF NAZARETH – A MAN OF PRAYER

5.1 JESUS HAS CALLED US TO BE PEOPLE OF PRAYER
Jesus of Nazareth has called us to be ordained as priests. A priest is an authority on spiritual matters. A priest administers the Sacred Rites, preaches, and cares for the needs of the people to whom s/he is called to minister to.

In order to be a good and effective priest, we draw inspiration from the way Jesus lived His Life; we follow in His Footsteps, live the way that He did, and make His priorities our priorities. Jesus lived His life well on earth, both praying Himself and teaching others to pray. One of Jesus’ great values was prayer. So we, too, value prayer. Jesus was the author of the great Christian prayer that every Christian prays daily; the Our Father.

“Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed by Thy Name;
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, Amen.” (Matthew 6; 99 – 13 and addendum).

Jesus prayed to the Father for the strength and ability to perform healing acts for others. Jesus performed great acts of healing after prayer. He taught in the synagogues, the main place of worship and prayer in the villages and cities of His time. After His teaching, He healed with authority. Jesus prayed and taught in the synagogue of Capernaum, and healed a man in the synagogue. Afterwards He and His disciples James and John went to the house of Simon and Andrew, where Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law. That evening after sunset, Jesus healed many of various diseases at the back door of Simon and Andrew’s house. (Mark 1; 21 – 34.) So there is a link between the prayer of Jesus, and to His acts of healing.

Jesus taught in the synagogue in Capernaum. He worked that day healing a man; throughout that day He healed many others, working well into the evening. He felt exhausted, and was glad of His bed in Simon’s house. Prayer had been the mainspring and strength that kept Him going through this creative day of service.

Jesus prayed to the Father for guidance and discernment. On one particular day described in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray. He spent the full night praying to God. (Luke 6; 12 – 16).

The time eventually came for Jesus to fulfil His mission. He went to Jerusalem, a dangerous endeavour for Him, as He knew He must in order to fulfil His mission. As Jesus’  end of life came nearer, He continued in deeper prayer. He prayed for Himself, that God the Father would glorify Him, as He had glorified the Father by completing the work He had given Him to do on this earth. (John 17; 1 – 5).

Jesus prayed tenderly and strongly for His disciples, Whom He loved and whom He had taught. (John 17; 6 – 19). These disciples, though more at home in the fish markets, working at home and in tax collectors’ stalls, made the change. Through the power of Jesus’ prayer and their own prayer to the Father,  theybecame such powerful preachers, healers and priests that they changed the entire world order of the Roman empire to a new order; Christianity.

Jesus also prayed for all of us, who would believe in Him as the Son of God through His disciples’message. (John 17; 20 – 25). Let us take heart, the Son of God Himself prayed for us personally, two thousand years ago.

At the last, when Jesus knew He was on the brink of the disaster of losing His Life to political cause, He threw Himself down beneath the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane, and pleaded with His Father out of fear not to have to fulfil His destiny. This was His greatest moment; He had been totally faithful throughout His Life and in His prayer; now human fear at the threat of being tortured, degraded and executed made Him plead in prayer for another way. (Luke 22; 39 – 46). Yet He accepted God’s decree, which was that this was His destiny. What a powerhouse Jesus’ prayer must have been to enable Him to accept this crushing response to His prayer. God’s ‘No’ which we often receive in prayer is often harder to accept than His ‘Yes’ or ‘It is time for you to wait before I give you what you ask for’.

5.2 PRAYER - A SIGN OF JESUS’ HUMILITY
The simple fact, often mentioned in the Gospels about Jesus is; He prayed. This reveals much about Jesus’ personality and set of values as Son of God. He valued prayer, and so should we. Jesus was fond of praying, and out-of-doors. He loved nature, and the peace it brings. Mark implies in the Greek text, that Jesus’ prayer was continued and a repeated action. This Mark did by telling us, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place, and there He prayed”. (Mark 1; 35). The final verb ‘prayed’in the Greek text is expressed in the imperfect tense, which denotes continued and/or repeated action. Mark thus implies that Jesus spent a significant period of time in that prayer, which began in the dark and ended after sunrise. Jesus prayed through the transition from night into day.

Jesus also prayed from the transition from light into darkness – day to night. Jesus prayed directly after He multiplied the numbers of loaves and fishes to feed the hungry crowd. This happened late in the day, (Mark 6. 35). Mark describes the apostles getting into the boat to sail away, while Jesus remained behind on shore. Once Jesus had sent the disciples away, He departed to the mountain to pray. The prayer of Jesus was not broken off until very late, ‘the fourth watch’. (Mark 6; 48). Jesus’ preference for nocturnal prayer might well have been because of the peace of the night, and the beauty of the vast expanse of the Palestinian sky at night. The Psalms reflect the work of God in Creation in the sky; in keeping with the rapturous devotion of His ancestor David, Jesus looked at the sky during the day and the night. When Jesus prayed under the heavens, He not only spoke, He listened. The skies, the moon, stars and sun all have a story to tell us of the One Who created them;

“The heavens recount the glory of God,
And the firmament declares the work of His Hands;
Day unto day tells the story,
And night unto night imparts the knowledge.” (Psalm 19; 1 – 2).

Jesus prayed regularly from the very beginning of His public ministry. This was, obviously, the habit of a lifetime. He probably began praying seriously in His childhood, taught and nurtured by the example of His mother Mary and His protector Joseph, both devout people of prayer themselves according to the Gospels. So Jesus’ value is to be our value as priests – in accordance with the example and teaching of Jesus, we set out to be people of deep prayer. This means that we need to know what prayer is, and how to go about developing our prayer.

5.3 WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer is listening to and talking with God. It is about an ever deepening relationship with God. Prayer is the lifting of our hearts and souls to God in conversation. We discuss with God quietly within our heart what He wishes us to do with our lives. We share with Him our disappointments, our pain, and ask His advice as to the way forward in many instances in our lives. We ask forgiveness of God in prayer for the mistakes we make, and ask Him to bless others and heal the effects of the pain our mistakes have caused them in their lives. We ask for healing for ourselves and others in prayer. We ask for blessings for ourselves and others, and for strength to deal with difficult times. Prayer is thus a relationship, a close familial relationship with God Whom Jesus assured us is our Father as much as He is Jesus’ Father. So we are all family; and prayer is the conversation and relationship we have with God as we move forward.

We can also pray to, that is – have communication with – all who have passed before us into eternity. Many people pray to holy people who have left us great examples of strength and godliness in their lives, such as Mary, Jesus’ mother; Joseph, Jesus' protector; Jesus’ disciples, such as the first disciple He appeared to, Mary Magdalene; Matthew, Mark, John, Salome, Jude.  Members of our own family often guide us and pray for us after they have moved after death into eternity– we can pray to them for assistance too. We also pray to the angels who are such strong bearers of the mercy and strength of God to us in our daily work and trials. The great Archangel Michael and other angels such as Archangel Gabriel, are in the service of God helping humanity. Gabriel was chosen by God to bring the message of His Love to Mary, and to ask her to consent that He incarnate Jesus in her womb.

5.4 WHY DO WE PRAY?
We pray in order to get closer to God, and we pray because Jesus taught us that to pray is essential for our lives as Christians. We pray because God has taught us to pray in the Bible. Prayer is an important part of a Christian’s life, enabling us to find a greater sense of God’s purpose in our lives.

5.5 HOW TO DEVELOP PRAYER IN OUR LIVES
As a child many of us were taught to pray with our hands together and our eyes closed. This is not essential for prayer. It is a stepping stone where we become accustomed to taking our minds off what is around us, and focusing our inner being on God. With practice this becomes easier, and we are able to focus on inner dialogue with God with greater ease, and without the need to close our eyes.

Prayers can have many aspects, but these are the most common;
Adoration; Praising and glorifying God for Who He is.
Confession; Asking forgiveness for wrong actions we have done, and the right things we have failed to do.
Thanksgiving; Expressing gratitude for the many great gifts God has given us, and that we receive each day which enrich our lives.
Supplication; Praying for others, for our nation, for our countries, and for ourselves that God may guide and lead us in our ministry as priests.

Prayer can take place privately, or with family and friends. Some people choose to meet regularly with others in a prayer cell, which strengthens them in their prayer calling. Churches pray in church services of worship and the Sacred Rites, also in house groups, church meetings and on other occasions.

Written prayers can be used, but prayer can also be spontaneous and improvised. Prayers can be said out loud or silently.

5.6 PRAYER RESOURCES FOR CHRISTIANS

The Our Father;
This prayer was composed by Jesus, and is said by Christians internationally.
“Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed by Thy Name;
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, Amen.” (Matthew 6; 99 – 13 and addendum).

The Apostles’ Creed;
Christians pray the Apostles’ Creed together as a community, as a sign of our communal belief.
“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;
The third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of the Father;
From thence He shall 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.”

Prayer to the Holy Trinity;
Christians believe in the One True God. We further believe there are three Dimensions to our One God; that of Paternity (Father), that of loving and faithful offspring (Son), and that of life-giving and soul-strengthening energy (God’s Spirit, also known as The Holy Spirit). These three Dimensions in one True God are known as the Holy Trinity.

Prayer to the Holy Trinity;

“Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.”

Prayer in honour of God’s choice of Mary as mother;
The ‘Hail Mary’;
Christians universally have honour for the earthly mother of Jesus, chosen by God.

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to Mary on His behalf to request her to accept the motherhood of Himself in His dimension as earthly Son. He was to be named Jesus. Mary accept this role, and her human ovum was activated by the Godhead Himself, a wonderous and unique occurrence (Luke 1; 26 – 38).

Many Christians remember this by praying the following prayer called the ‘Hail Mary’, inspired by the angel’s greeting from God in the New Testament.
“Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee;
Blessed art thou amongst women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.”

The Beatitudes:

These blessings were spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ during his ‘Sermon on the Mount’ teachings (Matthew 5; 3 – 10).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Prayer for assistance through the help of St. Michael the Archangel,
faithful follower of God:
This prayer is often prayed by Christians in honour of the great Archangel Michael who at the behest of God did successful battle in heaven against the forces of evil. If we are in danger or fear, this prayer is of great help;
‘Blessed Michael the Archangel,
Defend us in the hour of conflict.
Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
And may God restrain him we humbly pray.
Do this in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.’

5.7 CHOICE OF PRAYER RESOURCES
Pray to God in the quiet sanctuary of your room to inspire you which are the best prayer resources for you to use. The Bible is a great source of prayer; there are many prayer books in libraries, online and available in churches. Find a source of Christian prayer which brings you comfort, strength and support on your life path towards eternity with God. Then pray those prayers as you feel inspired. It is good to pray daily.

Another helpful resource is to have your own prayer journal, where you write prayers that give you inspiration. You can illustrate these prayers with pictures, or drawings which have meaning and beauty for you. You can press leaves and flowers, and stick them in. Keep your prayer journal near your prayer place for easy reference when you need to pray.

As priest, learn a number of prayers ‘off by heart’ – that is, the old fashioned method of learning the prayers over and over again until you can recite them from memory. This can be of great assistance if you need to pray in public for someone else, and have no prayer book or resource with you. It also helps you to give words of inspiration, spirituality and wisdom to people in distress if you have memory resource of prayers. Many such prayers are found in the Psalms, such as that wonderful Psalm 23 of King David, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd.’ This often prayed Psalm is a great comfort to people in distress of spirit, or dealing with grief.

Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd
‘The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want;
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness, for His Name’s sake.
Yeah, though I walk through the valley of darkness;
No evil will I fear, for You are with me.
Your rod and Your staff give me comfort.

You prepare a table before me,
In the presence of my foes;

You anoint my head with oil,

My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me,
All the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,
Amen.’

Another often prayed Psalm is that which Jesus prayed on the cross;

Psalm 22

My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?
‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?
Why are You so far from saving Me,
So far from the cries of my anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer,
By night, but I find no rest.’

The Psalms can be found in the Old Testament Section of the Bible. They are also easy to find online, or in church or prayer books. Research and find psalms which are helpful to you, and make them a part of your regular prayer life. Church bookshops and Prayer bookshops are great places to browse in order to buy prayer books which will help you in your prayer life, and as priest ministering to those in need.

Many people of prayer, and priests, make use of small books of prayer which have set out prayers for Morning, Evening and Night. These are helpful for priests who lead busy lives, and who wish to have a resource for prayer.

5.8 PRAYER TRANSFORMS OUR LIVES
Prayer transforms us into another Christ. Many Christians believe that we are called to model our inner lives on the beautiful example of the life Jesus Christ led here on earth. Jesus was free to love each infant, child and adult he met with all His heart. He was kind and understanding to men who had diseases such as leprosy who begged for healing (Mark 1; 40 – 41). He made it His Life’s work to heal every kind of disease and sickness that tormented the lives of people (Matthew 4; 23). Jesus uplifted people by means of teaching. He taught the beauty and freedom of God’s Plan for our lives in the synagogues (Matthew 4;23).

Jesus brought comfort to us who struggle with the lessons we learn each day in our daily lives, by preaching and teaching that we will be blessed if we are humble people, looking to find happiness with what we have instead of what we do not have (being poor in spirit). He preached that if we look for justice and what is right, we will find it. Jesus inspires us to show mercy, be pure and clean in heart, and to be bringers of peace in His Name. Jesus assured us that if we suffer difficulties here on earth because of our belief in His way of life, that we would receive blessing in the kingdom of heaven, eternity (The Beatitudes Matthew; 5; 1 – 12).

Jesus tried to save us from the effects that stress and worry bring into our lives (Matthew 6; 25 – 34.) He inspired us not to think harshly of others, but to have positive thoughts and caring thoughts about others, and about ourselves (Matthew 7; 1 – 6). He assured us that God the Father is deeply interested in our lives and welfare, and that if we reach out in prayer for assistance, it surely will be given to us. We might not always understand how we receive it, but years later when we look back, we will see that our prayers have never gone unanswered (Matthew 7; 7 – 12).

Jesus affirmed faith and deep prayer in men’s lives, such as in that of the soldier centurion in Capernaum, who servant He generously healed with expressed wonder at the soldier’s amazing faith and belief in spiritual discipline (Matthew 8 : 5 –13).

Jesus was kind to children, transforming their lives by His caring. He gave new life to a young girl who was the daughter of a leader of the local synagogue (Mark 5; 35 – 43). He was caring to women. He healed a woman who had suffered agonies for years, and was sensitive and kindly to her about the pain she had endured (Mark 5; 25 – 34).

Jesus was loving and caring towards infants and little children, and had words with His disciples who had driven the mothers and children who had come to Jesus for blessing away from Jesus. The gospels tell us that Jesus was indignant , and after scolding the disciples, He tenderly took the children in His arms, telling the disciples that the kingdom of God belongs to such as the children. After embracing the children, He laid hands on them to give them God’s blessing (Mark 10; 13 – 16).

Jesus was understanding of the plight and deep grief of widows, women who had lost husband and income, and status in their community. He was gentle and caring to the young man who had lost his life, and whom his widowed mother was grieving in the town of Nain. Jesus touched the young deceased man’s coffin, and he was restored to life again. Jesus had been touched by the son’s mother, who had been grieving, as the young man was her only son. Jesus had comforted her, telling her tenderly, ‘Don’t cry’. (Luke 7; 11 – 17).

Jesus was able to be emotionally comfortable in the presence of both men and women. His disciples John reclined comfortably next to Jesus at the Last Super (John 13; 25). He was comfortable with Mary sitting at His feet (Luke 10; 39 - 40).  

Thus regular and sincere prayer helps us to follow in the steps of Jesus Christ, to be as caring, kind and faithful to the Father as He was on His earthly Life, and as wonderful in His resurrected state as He is now.

*Photograph taken by Rev. Catherine. You may use this image as copyright free for any Christian purpose.

Letters from Lumiere Children

One of the great joys of running a Charity is receiving letters from children whose education and care is being sponsored by donations from kind benefactors. As Christmas approaches, the time of peace, goodwill and family values, I sat last week thinking of my own family and how much I love them all. On 6 December some of my family members celebrate together the great Dutch feast of 'Sinterklaas' or Saint Nicholas, now popularly known as Saint Nicholas or 'Santa Claus'. I pondered on the events that have led me so far from my native home and away from my own family, to be Director of Lumiere to children in need at different points of the globe. And I went into my box of treasures - letters, report cards and photographs from our children over the past years since 2004. And I realised that I have a huge family - in many different countries - through Lumiere...

Here are some of the beautiful sayings from the children,
'Greetings from Uganda - we are having much rains in the middle of our examinations. We shall get holidays soon. Thank you for sponsoring my education...I love you very much. Blessings to you and your friends.'
Attached to the letters are photographs - over the years the first picture of a little girl beaming at the camera has changed to a studious and spotlessly dressed young lady. Another letter has been carefully shaded in with pink colouring pencil, and painted illustrations of roses in the four corners of the letter attest to the DVD lessons we had sent for art classes for the children in a far flung village. Carefully composed in different colours, the letter reads, 'Dear Friends at Lumiere Charity, Thanks for your generosity. Your help is a great support to us. We are happy to be here. May you be blessed.'

A bunch of poignant letters were put together into a booklet and sent to me a number of years back for Christmas. In it, a number of girls who had been at risk of trafficking, spoke of their experiences. Now they wanted to share these experiences, how hard it had been for them to be a street child forced to beg for a living on the streets, and about their new life receiving care and education. One girl wrote, ' When I first came (to the care home), I was taken up by the beauty, greenery - the nature around and I was at peace. I felt I must stay here. When I came in I was a timid person but on meeting (the carers), their love made me feel wanted and cared for. Today I in turn become confident and care for others. I never did well in my studies. Today I am in VII and am putting in a lot of effort and securing first or second rank.'

Another speaks of her life on the streets, 'I was on the streets with a low self-image. I was brought to (the care home) and (the carers) have changed my life. We used to remain hungry at times but today we are well fed and all our needs are seen to. I am getting educated and being guided to do well. I love drawing, crafts and dance. I am lucky to be educated.'
Another little girl writes, 'I want to be educated and do something great in life. I also want to help other girls to come up in life'. One child writes that there are many who are not accepted at birth; they are abandoned in a dustbin and at times on the station. As children, they have to face a lot of difficulties if they spend their lives on the street, they may be abused (and the child explains the abuse suffered through trafficking). This little girl ended her letter with the words,
' I only pray that the world may be less cruel and reach out to many young girls who are in difficulty.'

Two children wrote together;

           'We shall go ahead in life

           And face every difficulty

       We will try to wipe out injustice

          By raising our voice

   Why there is so much of injustice

     Especially on the girl child

       All of us want to be free

  And we shall help them to be free.'

Another child who had been crippled and regained mobility through a number of operations sponsored through kind benefactors' donations to Lumiere Charity sent the most poignant letter of all; a beautiful pink table mat exquisitely cross stitched by her own hands during her recovery from the operations, when she regained her mobility. This was her way to show that she had full movement again. Every stitch in that little table mat which I carefully treasure was her way of saying

 'I love you'.

As I put away my box, I was struck by the words the children wrote. They mentioned,

'love...hope...blessings...thank you...'

These children know the secret to life - that the greatest wealth is not money, prestige or a secure life - it is the noble inner character which is precious, and freely gives the gifts of love, hope, gratitude - and blesses others in their lives.

In the spirit of Lumiere, please consider bringing light into a child's life by sponsoring his or her care and education. There may be an Orphanage, Care Home, Street Children's Home or Project for Children in disadvantaged circumstances near you. And there might be a little child there, all alone, with no one to care. Perhaps Providence had ordained that you be the one to care...

Happy Christmas and Blessed New Year to you and your loved ones.

Module 4 - The Service of Baptism

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY

MODULE 4 - THE SACRED RITES 

  THE SERVICE OF BAPTISM

OBJECTIVES; By the end of this module you should; -

*Know about the Baptism of Jesus

*Understand the meaning of Jesus' Baptism

*Be empowered to conduct a Baptism Service

4.1 THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
Jesus Christ was baptised at the hands of John the Baptist in the River Jordan.  Christians take this as a sign to us to also mark the beginning of our growth and ministry as a new Christian in the same way. Great crowds came out to hear John the Baptist preach in the desert near the Jordan River. Many of the people repented their sins, and asked to be baptised.

One day John saw Jesus coming among the people to be baptised. John was reluctant to baptise Jesus, but Jesus insisted. After Jesus’ baptism was completed, the New Testament tells us that a sign became present in the sky. A dove flew down and hovered over Jesus, a symbol of the Holy Spirit of God. And many there heard a Voice Which said, ‘You are My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased,’ (Matthew 3; 17).

4.2 THE MEANING OF THE BAPTISM  OF JESUS
The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus to anoint Him for His mission of saving the world. The Voice of God affirmed that Jesus is His Son Whom He loved, and Whom He was sending to planet earth to be the Messiah and King, the Saviour Who was to offer Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross.

Jesus chose to be baptised to lead the way for all of us, to follow with this great sign of commitment to a path of growth and development as a son or daughter of God. Christians celebrate the memory of the day on which Jesus was baptised on the Sunday after January 6.

4.3 BAPTISM – THE CHRISTIAN RITE
Baptism is a Christian rite where a baby or adult has water poured on the forehead as a symbol of the washing away of sin and the acceptance into a new life with Jesus. Another way to be baptised is for the adult to climb into the water, and having water poured over the forehead.

Baptism is an essential rite to undergo to become a Christian. It marks the beginning of our journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives. It is the first step in response to God’s love. Baptism is a joyful moment when we rejoice in what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. We make serious and heartfelt promises, and declare our faith as believers in God. If we are baptised as a baby, then our parents and godparents – people of faith who pledge to support us in our community lives as believers in God and servant-followers of Jesus – make the promises verbally for us.

Water is a vivid sign of new life, and the symbol of baptism is that we are born again by water and the Holy Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  As a sign of new life, there may be a lighted candle present at the Baptism, which is a picture of the Light of Christ conquering the darkness of evil. All who are baptised in Christ walk in that Light for the rest of their lives.

As priest, we administer the rite of baptism to the new Christian. It is usual in the church to have two sponsors known as godparents to stand as mentors for the new Christian.  For the rite of Baptism, you can look for inspiration in different Ministers’ Handbooks, and choose a rite which is beautiful and meaningful for you. The rite of Baptism usually involves the following;

4.4 THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD FOR

THE SERVICE OF BAPTISM

SONG OF PRAISE

The congregation may sing a song of praise appropriate for the baptism as an act of worship.

GREETING
As presiding minister, we as priest now greet the people with a blessing and greeting of peace in Jesus’ Name.

Then we remind the congregation (the group of people to whom we minister as priest in Jesus’ Name) that we have gathered together to witness this baptism. We tell the people that Our Lord Jesus Christ has told us that in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must be born again of water and the Spirit. We further tell them that He has given us baptism as the sign and seal of this new birth.

Here we are clothed with Christ, washed with the Holy Spirit, and made clean. We leave sin behind us  in baptism, so that we may live the new life of Jesus in wholeness and Christian love. This is a love of kindness, relationship and service. As children of God, we have a new dignity and are called by God to fullness of life. Then we move on to the next part of the rite.

PENITENCE
The ‘Kyrie’ or ‘Lord have mercy’ is the long used prayer in Christianity for asking God for forgiveness for our sins, and includes the following;

After appropriate prayer, the priest says or sings; ‘Lord, have mercy’.

The congregation responds in word or song with ‘Lord, have mercy’.
The priest then says or sings; ‘Christ, have mercy’.
The congregation responds again in word or song with ‘Christ, have mercy’.
The priest then says or sings, ‘Lord, have mercy’.
The congregation responds again in word or song with ‘Lord, have mercy’.

GLORIA

The Gloria is a universal Christian prayer used as a hymn of praise in honour to God. It was first sung on the occasion of Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem by Angels who appeared to shepherds in the fields in order to tell them the good news of the birth of the Son of God (Luke 2; 9 – 15).

Once the ‘Lord have mercy’ has been said or sung by the congregation, the Gloria is then said or sung.

‘Glory to God in the highest,
And peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, Heavenly King,
Almighty God and Father,
We worship You, we give You thanks,
We praise You for Your Glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
You take away the sin of the world,
Have mercy on us;
You are seated at the Right Hand of the Father;
Receive our prayer.
For You alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord:
You alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
In the Glory of God the Father. Amen.

NOW YOU AS PRIEST PRAY

Let us pray.
God our Heavenly Father,
As you parted the skies at the baptism of Your Beloved Son Jesus
In order to bless us with Your confirmation of His Sonhood;
Bless this your son (or daughter)
With healing grace through the waters of baptism.
Guide him (or her) as he (or she) walks the path of faith.
May he (or she) who is born again
Serve you in faith and love,
And grow into the full stature of Your Son, Jesus Christ,
Who is alive and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
Now and for ever. Amen.

READING THE WORD
Now you as priest read the Word of God from the New Testament.
‘A reading from St. Matthew, Chapter 3, verses 13 – 17’.
Then read the passage about the Baptism of Jesus from your Bible to the congregation.
At the end of the reading, say,
‘This is the Gospel of the Lord.’
And the congregation will all respond, ‘Amen’.

NOW FOLLOWS THE BAPTISM

As priest, you say;
‘We welcome those who come to be baptised. I invite their sponsors to present them now.’
The godparents or sponsors of the one to be baptised now answer;
‘We present…(here they say the name) to be baptised.’

You now say;
‘Parents and godparents, do you promise to accept the responsibilities placed upon you for bringing … for baptism, and to help them on the walk of faith ahead of him (or her) in his (or her) life?
The parents and godparents now say, ‘We do’.

The priest now says;
‘Do you reject devil and all rebellion against God? Do you renounce evil, and accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God and your Lord and Saviour?’
The parents, godparents and congregation answer ‘We do’.

NOW YOU AS PRIEST BAPTISE

The presiding minister baptises by dipping the candidate in the water, ensuring that the water does not cover the head or obstruct the breathing, or by pouring water over him (or her), saying,
‘I baptie you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’

Remember that the candidate is not to have his or her head put under water in any way, as this can be very dangerous. Also it is safer to baptise indoors in a small area and not in large rivers or areas of water.

NOW PRESENT THE NEWLY BAPTISED TO THE CONGREGATION

As priest, now walk around with the newly baptised to all in the congregation, to welcome her (or him) to her (or his) new community of faith.

OUR FATHER

Give the newly baptised to her (or his) parents and godparents, and say;
‘I now invite all her present to pray the Our Father as our Saviour Jesus Christ taught us;
Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven;
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.’

THE LIGHTING OF THE EASTER CANDLE

The Easter candle (a large white candle symbolising Jesus) is lit in the presence of the newly baptised and the congregation.

As priest, you pray;

‘Dearly beloved, you have received the Light of Christ,
Walk in this Light all the days of your life.
Shine as a light in the world,
To the Glory of God the Father.
Let your life be a testament of love, peace and service of the Lord,
Amen.’

Ensure that the candle is lit safely, and there is no danger of fire from the candle. Also ensure that immediately after the Baptism ceremony, the candle is safely put out.

THE FINAL BLESSING
As priest, raise your hand in blessing to the congregation, and pray;
‘May the blessing of Almighty God be with you now and forevermore,'
And the congregation answers, ' Amen.’

FINAL SONG OF PRAISE

The Congregation may now sing a hymn or song relevant to the baptismal occasion together as an act of worship.

EMERGENCY BAPTISM;
In a case of urgent necessity, it is enough to name the candidate and pour water on the person’s head, saying,
‘I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’
Suitable prayers can then be said, and the Lord’s Prayer.

CONDITIONAL BAPTISM;
If there is uncertainty about whether a person has already been baptised with water in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the priest should use the usual service of baptism, with the following difference;
The form of the words at the baptism shall be;
‘…if you have not already been baptised,
I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’

THE ADMINISTRATION OF BAPTISM;

A threefold administration of water, whether by dipping or pouring, is an ancient practice in the Christian Church. A single administration is also lawful and valid, and is practical - especially when baptising babies.
If you baptise a baby, ensure that the water is warm - not hot. Babies often cry if cold water is poured on their foreheads unexpectedly. Also if you are in the northern climates during winter, ensure that the water is a warm room temperature, as standing water can be very cold in winter, especially in times of snow and ice.

ISSUE A BAPTISM CERTIFICATE

Issue a baptism certificate to the family for the candidate. Keep a record in your own parish register.