Have you noticed that the baptismal font has water in it for Lent? Rev. Peter blessed a basin of water and placed it in the font for us to use in this holy season. As we enter Church we are invited to dip our fingers into the water and make the sign of the cross on our bodies or on our foreheads, as a reminder of our baptism, when we were marked as Christ's own forever.
This has been a meaningful practice for me in this season of Lent. I was already in the habit of doing this on baptism days when I pass the font to go to communion. But I enjoy seeing the font full, and it calls to mind all of the baptisms we have celebrated at Church. So many of these babies have grown up in our midst - what a blessing!
In the Good Shepherd Atrium we talk about gestures as a way of praying with our bodies. We show the children the gesture of making the sign of the cross and wonder with them about what it might mean. The image that has stayed with me, and that is brought to mind as I make the sign of the cross with the sanctified water is that of a shield - I am covering my whole body with the presence of Jesus and it goes before me into the world in all that I do.
When you see water in the font, feel free to dip your fingers in and make a cross on your forehead or over your body as a reminder of the blessing of baptism and the joy of belonging to God.
