Baptism as a Royal Calling

“Mommy, help me be a princess!”

My daughter’s plea was muffled within wiggling layers of tulle and sequins. Moments later, and with my assistance, she appeared from within the dress, triumphant and grinning. “What’s the rush, your Heighness?” I asked.

“We’re getting ready for the feast!” she announced, and off she went to join her sister in their room.

She asked me to help her be a princess. I hope that is what I have been doing, ever since she was born, for it is a known fact that she is indeed a princess. All of my children, in fact, are princes and princesses, and I myself am a princess as well.

This honor is not just for my family, though. You see, we all were brought into a royal family on the days of our baptisms. We are all sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ our King and children of Mary, Queen of Heaven. And under the appearance of a baptismal certificate, we each received a personal invitation to attend a great and royal Wedding Feast. But what have we done to prepare for this great day?

Lets pretend that my family has been invited to the formal wedding and reception of Prince William, to be held in England. After laughing hysterically for a minute or two, a sense of urgency will take over and I will have to make a plan. What will I wear? How will I get there? How do I greet the royal couple? And what is that little fork above the plate for again?

After considering the logistics of attending the event, a new wave of panic sets in when I remember that my husband and children have been invited too! Now, I can trust Jay to be Prince Charming for a night. But the kids? Who knows what they could do in such a setting! Actually, I know full well what they could do, and I begin to hyperventilate.

There are so many things I have to teach them about how to behave, how to speak to others properly, and so on – not to mention what to do with that little fork at the top of the plate. If only I had taken the time to learn the proper rules of English etiquette and passed that information down to my children, I would not be so fearful right now.

I could plead ignorance and perhaps be forgiven for not being prepared for this fictitious event. But culpable ignorance does not go over so well with God when it comes to His real life invitation to attend the Wedding Feast in His Kingdom. I have had my invitation for 41 years, and I am ashamed to admit that I am still woefully unprepared. And so are my children. How can we become Saints with so little time left? I do not know, trust or love enough to be a Saint yet. I am constantly working on it, but I can never do enough on my own.

Thankfully, I have recourse to the Queen.

Now, any good queen would be an advocate for her loyal subjects, but I am more than just a loyal subject in the eyes of the Queen of Heaven. I am her daughter, given to her by her Son, and it is His wish that I become a Saint. Therefore she will help me to obtain all that I need to gain admittance to that Wedding Feast. All it takes is sincere prayers for help and she can literally shower me with graces. And should I remain faithful in using these graces, I will soon be on my way to becoming the polished princess I was created to be.

Are you prepared? Dig out your baptismal certificate. When were you baptized? How much time has passed? Was it 50 years or more, or just this past Easter when you received your invitation, and what have you done during this time to prepare? Have you enlisted the Queen’s help in your preparation?

Frame the baptismal certificates of everyone in your home as a reminder of this once in a lifetime invitation. And refer to it often. Let it be your constant reminder to trust in the Queen of Heaven and she will make sure that you are properly attired and admitted to the royal Wedding Feast – whether you know what to do with that little fork at the top of your plate or not.