the two baptisms...7th week of easter monday

Today we read from the Acts of the Apostles and it narrates to us the ministry of Paul in Ephesus.

If you were listening closely Paul distinguishes two kinds of baptism – the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus.

What is the baptism of John.  The baptism of John is a baptism of repentance.  According to St. Thomas Aquinas this kind of baptism did not give grace.  The baptism of John did not cleanse the soul, it did not make men the children of God, it did not give new life in the person.  Rather it merely prepared the way for grace because grace can only come through Jesus.  Thus Paul felt the need to baptize again these 12 Ephesians he met on the road.  Then after baptizing them Paul laid his hands on them so as confer on them the Holy Spirit.  This laying on of hands to confer the Holy Spirit is something distinct from baptism and this will later become the basis of the sacrament of confirmation.

As we are about to end the season of Easter it is only proper that we be reminded of the gifts we have received in Baptism which made us children of God, and also the gifts we have received in the Sacrament of Confirmation which made us temples of the Holy Spirit.   Children of God and temples of the Holy Spirit – this is who we are, this is what we have become because of these two great sacraments mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.  Before we received all the other gifts in our lives these are the two most important gifts from God which we need to appreciate once again as we end Easter and prepare for Pentecost.