What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Baptising

    There are few more joyful things to do in this world than a baptism service. Yesterday I got to baptise someone called Theodore, which of course means Gift of God. He rather enjoyed proceedings and I’ve seldom held a child more keen to jump right into the font.

    People sometimes comment on how much babies seem to enjoy being baptised at St Mary’s. Some older folk sometimes say, “I thought they were supposed to cry….” to which I reply, “…and I think it is nicer if they don’t”.

    Sometimes people even come out with that old medieval nonsense that the cry of a baby at a baptism is the devil coming out. Here’s your theology starter for 10: the devil ain’t in there in the first place.

    If you want to make a baby cry at a baptism, here are the instructions:

    • hold them upside down
    • hold them so they can’t see anyone they know
    • use cold water
    • flick the water in their face with a large, hard shell
    • hold them as though you are frightened you are going to drop them.

    Otherwise,

    • hold them so they can see what’s going on – sitting on the side of the font is a good start
    • surround them with a sea of happy smiling faces
    • warm up the water
    • talk to them and mean what you say
    • keep parents in sight and free from anxiety themselves
    • lots of splashes
    ,

10 responses to “Keeping the Feast”

  1. Stewart Avatar
    Stewart

    Having looked at the pcitures and read the blog, there is only one response – WOW!!!!

    Looking forward to next year when I hope to be present.

    Reply
  2. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    It really was very very good. And you are so right about the ‘easy to over do the gloomy events’ thing – I found myself thinking ‘and when one gets home after an evening service, late, tired, one fasts’ only to realise that no, actually, one feasts!

    Reply
  3. chris Avatar
    chris

    Glad to have some good pics of the event. It was the the assurance that God was in the midst of it all that was so overpowering – ritual can be a very liberating element, as I’m always rediscovering!

    Reply
  4. Stewart Avatar
    Stewart

    Put your date the diary – 7 July 2012

    Reply
  5. MadPriest Avatar
    MadPriest

    It all seems tickety-boo, Father, except for the fact that you should have used only red rose petals, liberated by the priest from various municipal gardens shortly before dawn on the day of the service, as is traditional. Also, I would have dragged a few urchins in off the street to accompany the priest as he scatters the petals. This is always a crowd pleaser.

    Reply
  6. ryan Avatar
    ryan

    Glasgow’s West End is too posh to have urchins… 😉

    NB love the monstrance and humeral veil! 😀

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    So disappointed to have missed it. Alas, the wee one was not up for rose petals yesterday evening. I do hope there will be a repeat next year.

    Reply
  8. Brother David Avatar
    Brother David

    OFF TOPIC –
    Padre Kelvin, I shared your post and the link to the glorious photos with Padre Bosco in New Zealand. And was reminded that St Mary’s has a connection. I thought that you may not have heard that Christchurch suffered more serious quakes earlier this week and the cathedral, with many other churches, businesses and homes, suffered much more damage. She lost her Rose window and large sections of walls with this last set of temblors. And although certainly no decisions have been taken, it is looking more like St Mary’s will loose her twin and some other type of building may rise in its place.

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      Thanks Brother David – I was aware of what’s been happening in Christchurch this week and have been remembering the people from there and specifically from the Cathedral there in my prayers.

      Reply
  9. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    Elizabeth, we may just have to go for doing it again and different – but still glorious.

    Reply

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