Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION
	The symbols and actions of baptism evolved around the experience of adults dying to old patterns of life and rising from the waters of baptism as new creations. As for newborn babies, at first it was desired to wait until the following Easter, when they could be baptized, anointed with chrism, and given a taste of the Eucharist in association with adults. The Church was always willing to baptize adults in emergency situations outside the Easter timetable, and in time, since infancy itself was a life‑threatening situation, the baptism of babies became commonplace. As with the “emergency” adult baptisms, it was required that parents bring the child, as soon as health was recovered, to the bishop for the full menu of sacraments.
	The very real fear of death for infants thus created a situation in which the three sacraments drifted apart from each other, and away from their original, adult celebration at Easter. Today, at last, we know a great deal about how our practices evolved. This knowledge is reshaping how we celebrate Easter, how we receive adult faith, and how we structure the faith journey of children.
—Rev. James Field