(not the real family)
There was a baptism this morning. One parent is not Catholic and the other is but I have only seen her at Mass a few times. However, there are 3 Masses every weekend so perhaps she is going at different times than I am. The godparents are nominal Catholics. The last time they came to Mass was Easter. And I don't mean this year.
Father really put the screws to them!
He asked the mother why she was bringing her daughter to Mass today (in front of the packed church - probably 300 people at least!) She said she wanted her daughter to know God blah blah blah. He asked her a couple more questions until she said, "is this a test?"
Yes, Dearie, it is.
Father then instructed the godparents. He told them they were not there to look after Baby. They were there to look after the parents. To phone them up after Mass if they weren't there to ask where they were. I couldn't help it - Hubby got an arm jab - the godparents wouldn't know if the parents weren't there because they don't go to Mass!
At the same time there are two points I try to remember. My parents didn't take me to Mass but the grace of my baptism, that they arranged, lit a little flame in my soul. It took 38 years for it to become a raging inferno but it has to start somewhere. The second point is that perhaps today a little seed was planted in these young parents. Maybe they saw or heard something or were challenged in some way to pursue their faith more deeply. I know I was praying for them.
When you see new parents with their freshly baptized baby make a point to greet them, to invite them, to engage with them. We need to strengthen the domestic church. If that little baby is going to grow up to know God through the example of his or her parents then we need to parent them.
Perhaps we are all called to be godparents.
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