Not too long ago, my brother and I were asked by very close family members to be godparents for a 2-year-old little girl. My brother and I grew up with the mother of this little girl and we’re practically siblings since we were raised together from a young age! My brother and I had no problem saying “yes” and we looked forward to the day of baptism. However, I don’t think I realized the true meaning about what it means to be a godparent.
In the weeks leading up to the baptism, my mother and I worked on the party favors, and put together a gift for the little girl. The party favors we made were pink, had the name of the child, and date of the baptism engraved. They were very special, a reminder of the day, which is major event in a child’s life. We also got to pick out the white dress that she would wear for the baptism ceremony. Along with the dress, other parts of the outfit included: the undershirt, underwear (to go over the diaper), frilly socks, shoes, and a flower crown.
Besides the outfit, we also needed to get the baptism gift set. This included a candle, baptismal shell, rosary, prayer book, and christening blanket (some call it a handkerchief). Most of these items would be used in the baptism ceremony.
On the day of the baptism, we arrived early to their house to dress the little girl in her white dress. Though there were some tears, we managed to dress her and she looked absolutely adorable! We were then off to the church for the baptism. At the church, the priest welcomed everyone, a few passages were read from the Bible, and the priest talked about the significance of the baptism. Because the service was in both English and Spanish, I was able to understand better, and it definitely made the experience more meaningful! The priest explained our roles as godparents were crucial in the child’s development. It was a major decision, since we would need to maintain an active role in the child’s life. The priest asked if we were willing to do this and all of us (the godparents) proudly declared “yes.” Soon, it was time for all the children to be baptized with the blessed water. We walked up to the small fountain of water, and the priest asked us for the shell. This shell was then used to pour the water over the little girl’s head, and the priest baptized her “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” We were all smiles as everyone applauded, and the priest lifted her up into the air for all to see. It was definitely a very special moment, and I’m glad I got to be a part of it!
After this, we stood by the podium in front and we lit the candle we brought. The candle lighting can be interpreted to symbolizing a variety of things. The way I saw it, I believe the lit candle represents the light of Christ, and the child who was baptized will walk in the Light. Then the anointing of oil was done; this is where the priest signs a cross on the forehead of the child being baptized.
The entire ceremony in itself wasn’t too long and we got to celebrate later in the afternoon. Despite the heat, we all had an awesome time eating a bunch of food and catching up with other family members.
Overall, I am thankful for the opportunity to be a godparent! I look forward to seeing the progress of my goddaughter and I hope to be there for her in any way I can!
