Marked

The priest, holding my infant goddaughter, said, “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own for ever.” That was 24 years ago. She lives far away now and told me she has no commitment to faith. I wrote to her: “I’m a Christian because the message of the Gospel is rooted in love. I’m a Christian because the Church is the one place I can ask Big Questions, celebrate the gift of life with friends, and rejoice that I, as well, am “sealed by the Holy Spirit … and marked as Christ’s own for ever.”