Is any kind of drowning good?
Only one, drowning in God.

“one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Today we once again get to experience the most remarkable and beautiful of events, a baby enters into the life of faith, is reborn, regenerated into the life of Christ, an abundant life.

In this most sacred of moments, Julia will be drowned in the waters of baptism, her old mortal self buried, and she will arise from the waters anew as a new person, a person of faith and dedication – a person who now enjoys the promise of eternal life. Julia becomes a member of the Holy Church, the community of faith. She becomes a warrior for Christ.

She will know, though the dedication and work of her parents and godparents, her grandparents, the words St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians – there is one faith, one baptism, one God and Father – who is now hers.

All this requires faithfulness. We certainly gain through the grace of baptism, but it is not enough. We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We need to dedicate ourselves to learning His gospel message; we need to practice His way of life. This cannot happen at home alone, and cannot be carried out on a part time basis.

Everyone who has been baptized is required to commit to the school of faith – the Church. To learn the Word, to put into practice, not just what everyone thinks is a good life, but the true way that brings eternal life; Jesus’ way.

We have chosen – and we all have to choose – to take Jesus’ way of life seriously. Where is He in our life – God, the one Lord over and through all, in all – or just a nice philosopher who is dead?

Our drowning in Christ is serious stuff. If we live out our baptismal commitment, acknowledge our regeneration, we become truly new people, participants and heirs to a life that is eternal, committed members of the body of Christ.

Jesus fed thousands. They wanted to proclaim Him king – but not of their hearts, only of their stomachs. They were not willing to fix their eyes on Him in faith, to take up the commitment to drown in Him so that they would rise to a new life.

Julia enters into new life today through water. For her, for all of us who have committed, we know we have new life; we have Jesus’ promise to back it up. None of the false drowning’s will do the same – none can fulfill their alleged promises. The Lord will give Julia, and all of us, the promised reward for drowning in Him.