(Stock Photo – Canva)
By Patricia Schiissler
Most Christians are baptized as infants. I was baptized at the hospital before leaving for my parents’ home when I was merely a few days old. I couldn’t ever possibly remember the event. Plus, my godparents were named on the certificate and unable to attend since they were babysitting my two older sisters. How in the world could God work through such a derailed celebration for a special event? The Baptism was entirely obscure and insignificant to any observer. Yet, that doesn’t change God being entirely present to me and welcoming me as His child.
There are many parents that believe Baptism is only a formality and not necessary. They rationalize that the unbaptized person will decide if they want faith or not when they grow in years. It is scary to wonder how a person raised without faith and religion can acquire it. Sometimes, it is a miracle that does happen. Many times, it does not!
Jesus certainly did not need to be baptized. He is God. Jesus came to show us the true path to God, which meant modelling all things His people are to do. God the Father showed His pleasure with the Baptism of His Son. Matthew’s Gospel tells us that after Jesus was baptized, the heavens suddenly opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and a voice from heaven said, “This is My Beloved Son. I take delight in Him!” The event became the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Is that what happens in a spiritual manner when we are baptized? I believe that it does.
As Christians, we need to be baptized, and form a relationship with God to move forward into ministry. Where does that come from? It is not from something here on earth but something our minds can’t ever perceive. Baptism creates that all-important link. People often can’t explain what creates a desire within them to follow a certain path of faith. It can lead to helping the poor and homeless, wanting justice for those afflicted, looking after and caring for the elderly and disabled, teaching children and young adults, practicing medicine, and so forth. It can lead to marriage and family, religious life, or a faithful path to God in a single life.
Certainly, people can assist in these many ministries without being baptized, yet they lack God’s help that the baptized can draw upon. Personally, a desire was placed within me to be a teacher before any memory choices were present. It was just there! Where did it come from? After teaching was mainly perfected, why was there a desire to teach God’s word in Bible Studies? Why do I crave reading God’s word during Mass and participate in Eucharistic Ministry? Why do I love writing about how God works in my life? I can’t explain it. It is just there! When I leave Mass and receive the Eucharist, something leaves with me to “Go and Proclaim the Word of the Lord.” There isn’t any decision that requires my thought. God is inside that need, and He came to me during my Baptism.
born, baptized, and received her sacraments at St. Henry’s parish in Melville, Saskatchewan. She began her education in a country, one room school (Wymer) from grades one to four. Education then began at St. Henry’s elementary school, grades five to eight and grades nine to twelve in St. Henry’s high school. Pat worked in the University of Regina library and meanwhile married Terry Schiissler in 1973 (BA, Notre Dame, Wilcox). They have 2 children. She retired from teaching at Regina Catholic Schools after 28 years. Pat studied the Understanding Our Faith series from 1997 to 2002. She then took the Lay Formation Program and was commissioned in 2018. Faith interests and accomplishments include Eucharistic ministry, Proclaimer, RCIA sponsor, Bible study facilitator, Chair, Spiritual Education, Lay Liturgy presider, Synod representative, etc. Pat became an author after retiring from teaching. She wrote and self-published, “God in my Life: How God speaks to me”. For the following two and a half years, she promoted the book while speaking to large numbers of people. There were over 25 evangelizing events across Western Canada. The experience was so meaningful that Pat decided to write and publish her second book,” God for all People: Some Fact, Some Fiction”. It is based on her faith journey relating to stories mainly strangers shared with her. Pat’s website is www.patriciaschiissler.com.
