Baptism Repentance and One Sweet Spelling Quiz

I need a whole community prayin’ for me. ‘Cause I sin. And I need the courage to begin again.

The Baptism of the Lord teaches me this lesson, and so does the awesome story of one of my students.

His tale is unrelated to sin, but totally immersed in community and the miracle of beginning again.

This student struggled with Spelling since September, and nearly failed last trimester. Yet he persevered through every test -- his determination was not dissuaded.

His family of 10 (seven old enough to read) also helped – they encouraged him, quizzed him and rallied to give him confidence. His mom promised to buy a prize if he ever got 100 percent on a quiz.

On Friday, it happened.

There were multiple quizzes on Friday including two oral evaluations for which I took children individually into the hall to test them. The other children worked on various tasks at this time. It was then that this child approached me and asked if he could review his Spelling words.

“Absolutely!” I agreed.

“Can I get my paper from my jacket pocket? It’s downstairs.”

“Yes.”

He brought back a crumpled piece of loose leaf with a few words that were difficult for him and he sat at his desk and practiced while I assessed the other children.

The time came for the Spelling quiz and I watched him smile as he put his pencil down. It took me a few minutes to grade the tests while the children worked in reading centers. I placed his quiz on his desk, quietly called him over and discreetly gave him a high five. “You did it!” I exclaimed.

His face lit up. I put a sticker on that test, wrote “YAY!!!! You did it!” and told him how proud I was of him.

In the car line at dismissal, I told his mom, “He did it!”

“No!” She gasped in awe.

“Yes!”

“Oh my goodness! Way to go!” she joyfully congratulated her child.

I never told the mother what her son did. She didn’t even have to ask. It was as if the whole family awaited this celebration.

My heart overflowed with joy.

Perhaps this is what it’s like when God runs after one sinner – me. And when I fall to my knees and beg for forgiveness after I try and fail again and again and again. Then, when I go to confession, the whole community of heaven rejoices. And the people praying on earth celebrate too because conversion is transformative for everyone.

When I see people start new habits or forgive –even students in my classroom, it inspires me. I need to see the conversion of others so that I know it’s possible for me too. This is why the Catholic Church holds up saints as models of holiness.

It’s probably also why people join group fitness classes and go to group therapy and support groups. It’s why people have roommates and spouses and children. We need community to survive, to thrive.

Tomorrow is the Baptism of the Lord, the day Jesus showed us how to begin again not because he sinned, but because He loves us and lives in communion with the Father.

Magnificat offers this reflection: “Jesus joins the people going out to John the Baptist in the gesture of repentance, not because there is sin in him, but in order to model for us the only authentic way to approach the Father. He goes to the Baptist as a beggar because the Mystery is mercy. Through the mystery of the Baptism of the Lord, whenever we regard our sins we see something more: Jesus Christ who comes to be present to us, even identifying with us sinners. Whenever we look at our sins we see Someone looking at us with love. We can face our sins because of the gaze of that face. Thanks to the Baptism of the Lord, never again must we confront the horror of our sins alone.” – Vol. 15, No. 11.

“Every moment is the moment of beginning again,” wrote Catherine Doherty, foundress of Madonna House. She also wrote "I love confession. When you hear the words of absolution fall on your ears, it is like salve on your wounds. The forgiveness of God envelops you like a mantle, for the confessional is the altar of mercy."

God offers freedom through Baptism and Confession. He asks me and allows me to try again and again. He forgives me when I admit I fall. He exclaims, "You did it!" when I go to confession. And he sings to me, “Today, my child. I made it for you! Live, rejoice, sing, praise, dance!  I love you. And I made you to live 100 percent free.”

The coolest Baptism of Jesus project online.