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The Purpose of Baptism The history of infant Baptism is helpful, but it is not the best argument for why we should baptize babies. To get to the heart of the matter, we have to ask: What is the point of Baptism? The short answer is this: Baptism saves us. It is not merely a symbol. It is a sacrament, meaning it is a vehicle of God's grace. Every human being is born into this world with a fallen nature tainted by original sin. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, we are born into this world with a certain "broken" relationship with God, but Baptism is the remedy that restores that relationship. Baptism frees us from the power of darkness and brings us into "the free- dom of the children of God, to which all men are called" (CCC 1250). Every person needs the spir- itual regeneration offered by Baptism. Children Deserve Baptism If we deny Baptism to a child, then we would deny them "the priceless gift of becoming a child of God" (CCC 1250). But does that rob the child of their right to make that decision themselves? Parents make all sorts of decisions for their children when they are young. Kids do not get to decide how they are fed, educated or cared for. Parents make foundational decisions for their children because they are responsible for nurturing the gift of life and providing the essential formation children need to navigate this world. That is never seen as robbing the child of their "rights" to eat what they want or go to school when they want. It is always seen as parents giving the child what is best for their development. Sharing the Lord with a child should be seen the same way. The gift of faith through Baptism is the greatest gift a parent can give to their child. This is part of a parent's responsibility of nurturing "the life that God has entrusted to them" (CCC 1251). Faithful parents want to see their children embrace the faith as they grow older. Children learn so much by praying with their parents, talking with them about the bigger questions in life and observing the life of faith modeled by their family. Godparents should also provide the necessary support and serve as an inspiring example of faith for the child (unlike the godfather in The God- father!). By baptizing children as babies, we give them the graces they need to embrace that faith journey and eventu- ally make their own commitment to the Lord when they grow older. To our human senses, Baptism might not seem like much. The baby looks and behaves exactly the same before and after the sacrament. Even though we cannot see the change that happens during Baptism, a very real transforma- tion has taken place in the child's soul! Through Baptism, we are grafted onto Christ; we change from sinner to saint; we are permanently marked as a child of God. No movie can capture the spiritual drama happening in the soul during Baptism! 16 AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2026 | DENVER CATHOLIC Photo by Madisen Martinez | Denver Catholic