Baptism: A Door To Discipleship

We have just celebrated the 212^th birthday of our Mother Foundress, and today, June 29 is an important date of our Congregation; celebrating the graceful memories of Mother Antonia’s entry in the Church, baptized on the day of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. As we celebrate this ecclesiastical Feast, we too recall our Mother Foundress, who was born weak and sickly.  What would a mother do to see her child gasping and panting for a breath with less possibility of survival?  Moved by the unwavering faith and hope in the Lord and the love for their child, her parents had a holistic decision as devoted Catholics would do, that is to obtain the fullness of grace through the Sacrament of “BAPTISM” ,because of her fragile condition made them think that she would not survive. God let them see his presence,  miracle happened after the baptism, she survived and grew in devotion to the Lord and love for the Church.  

God had beautifully designed the path for Mother Antonia, a feeble baby baptized on the day of these two important figures in Christianity, Saints Peter and Paul whom God has called to preach the Gospel to the whole world. They were also weak though not physically: Peter’s human weakness even in the presence of Jesus; he was impulsive, his sanguine temperament often led him into hasty, unintended words and actions; his denial of Jesus during the passion was a valuable lesson. It emphasised a weakness in his character and made him humble. While Saul, seeing the flourishing numbers of Christians, became its bitter opponent, persecuted the followers of Jesus vigorously, yet he was chosen to preach the gospel to the gentiles. His encounter with the Lord had a dramatic conversion that turned him to one of the most influential apostles of Jesus.

Jesus trusted Peter to hold the key to leadership, “on this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of hell will not conquer it. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-20)

Jesus Chose Paul to be his instrument among the Gentiles, “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

Maria Antonia Paris, a woman, was entrusted by the Lord to a difficult mission, allowed her to see beyond the events that was happening in the society and the church during her time. Jesus told her, “Cry, my daughter cry for the evils in the church that pierce My Heart” (Aut. 14). Mother Maria Antonia was baptized in the day of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, it was not only a symbol of her deep ecclesiastical spirituality, but also as new apostle of the modern Church, apostle of the renewal. She carried the burden and sacrificed for the necessities of the Holy Mother the Church: “One night while praying and in bitter tears, pleading to our Lord that by the merits of His Passion and death to have mercy on the necessities of His church which at that time were many” ( Aut. 19). God called not the strong but the ones whom the society never expected.

When is the day of your Baptism?