by Joanie Butman
You may have noticed Owen’s distinctive christening gown in the photo from last week. It’s a family heirloom made by Owen’s great, great, great grandmother’s mother and sister in 1875. Since then it has travelled extensively from San Francisco to Mexico to Ireland, eventually returning full circle to San Francisco for Owen’s sister, Tess, a couple of years ago. As Owen’s grandmother explained, “It has gone back and forth across the Atlantic and to Sweden over the past 34 years, connecting our family to its past.”
Much of the baptism ceremony is symbolic, employing many rituals derived from Jewish tradition. The symbolism of that christening gown is not about fashion but a symbol of the legacy of faith being passed down from generation to generation. While Owen will eventually have to claim that faith and make it his own, God laid the first brick. Now his family is responsible for pouring a foundation of faith that he will hopefully choose to build upon – a bedrock of God’s love, firm and secure.
My success as a parent (or Godparent) has always been dictated by one thing: Was I able to instill a firm base of God’s love in their hearts? Do they know without doubt that their value and worth is derived by their identity in Christ? If that footing is strong, it will tug at their hearts regardless of the paths they choose. They will falter for sure as we all do. It may take years of wandering, discovering, questioning, but hopefully that groundwork will always lead them back to where it all began – into the arms of a loving, merciful God who formed their person and purpose.
While the christening gown is now a little faded and fragile with age, the legacy of faith and love that’s been passed down grows stronger and more vibrant as each member nurtures it and keeps it thriving. You may not have had a family for whom faith was a cornerstone, but we can all choose to be part of a spiritual family, ready and waiting to fill that void – eager to share their faith and walk beside you as you discover your own.
