The Baptism of Jane Carol Eckardt

Alleluia! Christ is risen! And he who gave his life into death for us, and rose from the grave for us, and appeared openly to his disciples for us, and ascended into heaven for us, on the very day of his ascension also commanded Baptism, declaring that by this disciples would be made. And so this day Jane Carol was brought unto him.

For centuries there has been a debate about whether infants ought to be baptized. Some say no, because there is no specific command to do so, and others, like us, say yes, for they are included in all nations. But there is more than this. For he specifically declared, Suffer the little children to come onto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. See in these words: little children are not only permitted; they are the very standard. We must become like them.

For when the word of God comes to them, they believe it. There is no handle for the devil to take, to snatch the word away from their hearts; for the word of God is the power of God, piercing to the division of joints and marrow. Behold, it came to Jane Carol, and she believed it herself, and so she confessed the Christian faith, even before her Baptism. For we will not withhold from her the opportunity here, simply because she is as yet unable to speak. Rather, we will speak for her the words she wanted to say: I believe. And behold also her words: I will be baptized. I want it. See how good it was for you to have brought her to the font today: she wanted it. She demanded it. She is here because she wanted to be here. You have done well.

And so too, you will do well to continue to bring her to this place, to the house of God, that she may continue to hear and confess the Christian faith. This is what she wants. And when the time comes that she begins to use her reason, that dreadful time when she will have to contend for the faith against her own sinful heart and reason, she will already have been surrounded with the word and help of God against herself. For from this day at her glorious Baptism she has a multitude of angels attending her, angels whom Christ sent down through the same channel through which he ascended, angels guarding and defending her, protecting her, until she at last attains to everlasting life by the same faith by which she confessed today, and into which she was baptized today. The faith by which she cries with all of us, Alleluia! Christ is risen!