August 27, 2017
Today we can say that miracles do happen! When we stop believing and having the faith to trust in God, we stop witnessing the incredible ways God is in our lives and in our world. When Baby Faith came into your lives, you made a commitment to God that you would raise her up to know the Lord too. Biblical people did that as well—by faith Abraham and Sarah had Isaac, by faith Zechariah and Elizabeth had John, by faith Joseph and Mary had Jesus.
As parents you are making a public announcement to this faith community and to the world that you believe God has great plans for Faith and that in and through this loving community, God would guide her life and use her to serve God’s will.
As you, Erica and Jimmy love each other Faith will learn how to love.
As you have a love and respect for God’s living animals and nature, Faith will learn to love God’s creation.
As you love art and design and visiting museums, Faith will grow to love the beauty of art too.
As you two are playful and joyful and laugh out loud about life’s adventures, Faith will embrace life with hope and trust and even when things don’t always go as expected, she will be determined, calm and adapting as you are.
As you love God in all that you do at home, at work and in your neighborhood, Faith will learn that God cares for everyone and every thing.
You have asked God in prayer with faith for a baby and you have received God’s blessing. A verse that you selected for Faith is 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” You only had the faith in God that God would work wonders and miracles with you. Today, we proclaim that God indeed is faithful.
You have appropriately named your new daughter Faith. One day when she ask you why you named her Faith, you now have a daily reason to teach her and tell the world how you live by faith and not by sight. As Faith grows up, she is a proof of God’s miracles, his mercy and willingness to provide. All of us here are eagerly looking forward to helping you raise her up to know Jesus so that she would inspire others to trust in God as you have trusted in God and have faith in him.
In Hebrews 11, we read that by faith, you too would have descendants “as many as the stars of heaven and as innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” (11:12b) God bless you.
Closing Prayer
Let us pray. Even as Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to your house that he might be consecrated to your service, so these parents have brought this little one to this place, that among your people they might present her to you. Give to Jimmy and Erica your special graces of insight and love that under their guidance Faith may grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with you and all people. Grant that we your people may truly be a household of faith to Faith, providing her with food for the spirit to nourish her through the years of growth into maturity. With gratitude to you for this child we dedicate her, her parents, and ourselves, to the end that her life may be a blessing to you and a service to humanity. Amen.