Mystery Baptism
Part Two
Dear Children of God! how are you? How are you celebrating this season of feast of “Beale Hamesa?” We hope you have not become forgetful to keep the liturgy of praying and attending the Church, just because it is said that there is no fasting, prostration (bowing) and attending funeral (the burial ceremony of a dead person).
What about your school? How are you doing in your education? Are you studying well and passing your exams? You must also remember to focus on your spiritual life. Hope you have become brave students at school, and a good child for your parents and God!
Well! Let us proceed to our today’s lesson which is a continual of our last section about baptism. We have previously seen the definition of the word ‘baptism’, the liturgy of it and the reason for our baptism. And for today, we will see its second part that focuses on Children’s Baptism on their 40th and 80th days.
Children, our Holy Church teaches our parents to take their children to their local churches, and perform your baptism. Male infants at 40 days and female infants of 80 days, shall be baptized to Christians. Frist, the Priest and Deacons pray on the water and it changes to Holy Water that is the resemblance of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on crucifixion. Then after, they Priest blesses the water saying. “The One Father is Holy; The One Son is Holy; The One Spirit is Holy.” Thus the water changes to “Maye Gebo” which means “side water” of our Lord. The story as written in the gospel of Saint John, at the day of His crucifixion a soldier called Longinus, pierced His side and a water and blood came out of Him. That is why it is called “side water.” The Priest use this water to baptize us. We are also given Christian name at this day.
When we are baptized, we are given a God Father and God Mother, who are responsible for our faith. This liturgy was started by First Ethiopian Bishop Abba Kesate Birhan. The God Father and God Mother vow, holding the finger of the baptized child, to be by the side of him/her, for the rest of his/her life, in following up their church education and spirituality. They pray ‘Religious Prayer’ in the name of the child. They have the responsibility to comprehend their word in practice.
Dear Children! when the child is to be baptized, the deacon rise him up and say, “I make you prostrate in the name of the Father; I make you prostrate in the Name of the Son; I make you prostrate in the Name of the Holy Spirit” and make the child prostrate facing first, the side of west, then to the east in front of, parallel to the baptism sink. The reason for the child facing west is the resemblance of the human race entering hell and then the face returning to the east, is our return to heaven.
Then, the Priest baptize children in the baptism sink by the prepared Holy Water, in and out three times. The numbers three times is the indication of the Threeness of Holy Trinity. The similarity of the Sacrament (liturgy) is the indication of His oneness. Then, the Priest perform Myron Ointment on their body. So, Holy Spirit descend upon them and they become children of Holy Trinity.
They also wear what is locally known as “Maetebe” to mean “indication.” For those who live in faith and baptized, it is an emblem given to Christians by the three types of color (black, red and yellow), which is the resemblance of the Threeness of Holy Trinity. The truth about the three Maetebes robed in one is the indication of the Oneness of Him. A Christian become witness to his/her Christianity without being ashamed; defeat his/her enemy; receives blessing from the Maetebe, as it is prayed upon and blessed. Then, we take part of the Holy Communion/Eucharist/ The Holy Flesh and Holy Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ/. We are endowed (gifted) new life; we also become member of Holy Church and children of God through baptism.
Dear Children of God! the “Mystery of Baptism,” is wide and mysterious. We only saw some part of it. We hope you have learned the importance of being baptized and become children of Holy Trinity. Our Christianity shall not only be our name but the life we live. We have to have good manner, be obedient, brave and wise.
Farewell children! We have finished for today and forward our good wish in meeting you next time, on our next lesson.
May God be with, you!