Lent is a perfect time to be thinking about Baptism. First, we remember that during Lent we are called to die with Christ so that we can also celebrate the Resurrection with Him, just as we do in Baptism. We also witness the preparation of those that desire to enter the Church this Easter as they draw nearer to the time of their own Baptisms. And we also know that we will renew our Baptismal Promises at Easter and the new Paschal Candle, used for Baptisms for the rest of the year, will be blessed at Easter Vigil. Plus, every Sunday is a little Easter, so any Sundays are a good day to think about our Baptisms!
So as my students were finishing up a unit on the Sacrament of Baptism this week, it was perfect timing to dive a little deeper into the rites and rituals that happen at a Baptism. They have a good knowledge of the form and matter, as well as the symbols used, so on our last day we closed our study by reading some of the beautiful prayers from the Rite of Baptism. We focused on two of my favorites- the Blessing of the Baptismal Water and the Renewal of Baptismal Promises.
I printed a copy of the Baptismal Promises for each of my students so they could read and examine them- and they quickly realized that after saying no to Satan, what we are saying yes to are the tenets of the Creed. I intentionally made their copies long and narrow so after reading the words, they could flip them over and design their own Baptismal Candle using the symbols they had learned about. (You can get the printable at the end of the post if you'd like to try the same!)
Then, we closed in a time of prayer, renewing our Baptismal Promises together and blessing ourselves with Holy Water. The activity was made even more special by using my new Holy Water bottle from
Reliquary Supply Co.- a new little business that is striving to create things that are true, good, and beautiful.
(Reliquary Supply Co. sent me a free holy water bottle to review. All opinions are my own- and I only review things I've used and love!)
Just look at this lovely Holy Water Bottle! The design is both modern and classic, and the small details make this sacramental truly lovely. The heavy glass bottle holds a generous 4 oz. and has a prayer printed right on the back.
The packaging for this lovely little bottle is so thoughtfully done, making it a pleasure to open and perfect for gifting. I love that their bottle presents an opportunity to celebrate so many occasions- Baptisms, First Communions, Weddings, etc.- by filling the bottle with Holy Water from the church that day as a way to remember those significant moments, as well as just for regular use of Holy Water in your home or classroom. It makes a timeless and beautiful keepsake. They also have a unique Baptismal Candle, and the two together would make a wonderful gift for a new baby or a new Catholic coming into the Church this Easter. If you're thinking of all the ways you'd like to make use of their great designs,
Reliquary Supply Co. has graciously offered a 10% discount to my readers with the code KATIE10. Go check them out- and I can't wait to see what they come up with next!
Click here for the Baptismal Promises Candle printable:
This post has more ideas for teaching about
the Paschal Candle, which is an especially great activity for Holy Week:
Or click here for a
Baptism activity that includes these water drop Baptismal promises:
