By Kelly Wahlquist

“And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'” ~ Matthew 3:16-17

Recently, I was having lunch with a friend in the desert, not of Judea but rather California. Our waitress was wearing a beautiful and unique gold necklace. Intrigued, we asked her about it. She smiled and explained that her name was Isabella and that the necklace, a capital letter I woven through a crown, was given to her by her grandmother to remind her that she is a queen. To which my friend enthusiastically responded, “We are all royalty.” And I said, “We are daughters of the King!”—which received a joy-filled “Amen, sister!” from our waitress. And just like that, an invitation to embrace the faith was extended and received, and a conversation about Baptism began.

With great power comes great responsibility.

In the waters of Baptism, we are purified and become a “new creature”—an adopted daughter of the King, a co-heir with Christ, and a Temple of the Holy Spirit. When you think about it, being royalty seems intense! However, realizing that we have been created for this amazing responsibility makes it easier to absorb. 

God not only created us to share in His own blessed life; He has equipped us to do so. Just as the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus as He came up from the waters of Baptism, so too in our Baptism, the Spirit of God descended upon us, preparing us for our mission.

“Through the Holy Spirit, Baptism is a bath that purifies, justifies, and sanctifies. Hence Baptism is a bath of water in which the ‘imperishable seed’ of the Word of God produces its life-giving effect” (CCC 1227-1228).

Once bathed in the waters of Baptism, it is time for some fresh and clean royal duds. To be a light for the nations, sharing in Jesus’ mission to build up His Kingdom on earth, we need to dress for success. As we have been baptized in Christ, it is He that we have put on. There is no better attire. We are wrapped in the righteousness of Christ (Col 3:10).

My sisters, as daughters of the King, it’s time to don our royal wardrobe! May we follow the teaching of St. Paul and clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, as we work in our God-given gifts to make disciples of all nations. And one day, after our mission on earth is complete, may we hear our Heavenly Father say, “This is my beloved daughter, with whom I am well pleased.”

Prayer

Good and Gracious God, may the Spirit that hovered over the first creation and descended upon Christ as a new creation, stir up in me a new desire to put on Christ. Help me clothe myself with love and bring peace and harmony to those around me.

Call to Action

Today, put on your royal apparel and in whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  

 

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