Baptizing infants

Q Why do we baptize infants?  Shouldn’t we wait and let them make their own decision?
A In the Gospel of St. John, Jesus tells Nicodemus, “no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born or water and Spirit” (Jn 3:5).  Even though, at this time in Jesus’ ministry, he had not yet instituted the sacrament of baptism, I believe he was referring to it.  Others also believe this.  According to the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, New Testament, “several observations suggest the verse refers to the sacrament of baptism.”
(1) A close link between water and (Holy) Spirit is forged elsewhere in St. John’s writings (7:38-39; 1 Jn 5:8).  This is most explicit in Johb 1:33, where the Spirit descends upon Jesus the very moment he is baptized in the waters of the Jordan River.  (2) Immediately following this episode Jesus and the disciples begin a baptismal ministry in Judea. (3) Other New Testament passages describe baptism as a sacrament of salvation through the Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor 6:11; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 3:21).
The Old Testament envisions Yahweh pouring out his Spirit from above in the messianic age (Is 32:15; Ezek 39:29; Joel 2:28-29).  This was depicted as water being poured upon the Israelites to wash away their iniquities and renew their hearts.  These prophetic hopes should have prepared Nicodemus to understand the thrust of Jesus’ teachings.
The Council of Trent declared in 1547 that John 3:5 refers to baptism.  It was said that “water” is no mere metaphor, but a visible sign of the Spirit’s “invisible work in the sacrament.”     
All babies are born with original sin, sin inherited from Adam and Eve because they disobeyed God’s commandment.  When one is baptized, they are cleansed of that sin; this would include infants.  I see this as opening up the gates to the road which leads to heaven.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The church does not know of any means other than baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude (heaven); this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are ‘reborn of water and the Spirit’ ” (CCC 1257).
The church has never put an age requirement on those available to gain God’s graces, and it has always baptized infants.  In Matthew 19:14, Jesus says, “Let the children come to me for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
St. Peter said, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38-39).
Additionally, the book of Acts has several instances where entire households were baptized; any infants in these households would have been baptized.
It is true infants cannot make their own decision to be baptized, but parents must always make decisions that benefit their children.  That is why they bring their infants to be baptized and make the promise on their behalf that they will raise the child “in the faith, so that, keeping God’s commandments, they may love the Lord and their neighbor as Christ has taught us.”  Otherwise, “The church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer baptism shortly after birth” (CCC 1250).

Deacon Hooper is a deacon assistant at Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs. He can be reached at ghooper@diobr.org.