Soon to be baptized, Luna isn’t afraid to follow her calling

“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” These are the words that thousands of catechumens around the world are preparing to hear on Easter night when they are baptized. Throughout Lent, Aleteia is sharing with you the stories of some of these men and women, who are happy to become children of God. Read all of the testimonies here. 

Luna is a 14-year-old Mexican teenager who has decided to give her “yes” to Christ at the Easter Vigil. She’s currently preparing for baptism, when she will be recognized as a child of God.

She wasn’t baptized as a child because her parents wanted her to be able to choose the religion to which she felt called at a conscious age. (The Church, on the other hand, encourages infant baptism so that children will have God’s grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit from the start.) When she entered a Catholic school, she realized the richness of Catholicism.

“I entered a religious school as an atheist. Then, listening to the classes, little by little, I began to get an idea (of what faith is). And the truth is that I always wanted to be baptized, but I wasn't quite sure why”.

She felt the call while she was in her religion classes. Moved by listening to the Word and the story of God’s relationship with humanity, she spoke to her academic coordinator about her interest in being baptized. She was the one who directed her to start her preparation.

Her parents were happy to hear about her decision. They constantly tell her how beautiful it is to belong to a religion, and they take Luna wherever she needs to go so she can learn about the faith. They’ve supported her at all times.

Her education in the faith began with religion classes, but now she has been taking lessons with a private teacher and a priest. They help her learn the basics of the faith, as well as answering any questions she may have.

In addition to her formal education, Father Jorge organized a welcome ceremony for her: a Eucharistic celebration accompanied by her family, friends, and future godparents.

“It's like your welcome to the Church. You have to give up many things and accept that there’s only one God. In practical terms, you’re confirming your faith so you can be baptized.”

It is very exciting for her to see the day of her baptism approaching. She’ll receive not only baptism, but the other sacraments of initiation as well: First Communion and Confirmation. Luna describes it as a very beautiful process that has definitely left its mark on her.

“My teacher told me what the ceremony would be like. She told me that at the moment I’m baptized it is God saying, ‘This is my daughter Luna, my beloved daughter.’ It was very powerful for me, [knowing that] God is literally welcoming me.”

Luna can see how her life is changing for the better. She lives to offer everything to God, even when it’s difficult. She starts and ends her day by visiting the chapel at her school, because she knows that, even if she only spends five minutes with Jesus, her mood changes completely.

“Every time I go to the chapel I'm talking to God. So that kind of encourages me more to go with that faith and that desire to really talk to Him.”

At the same time, she likes to talk about God with her friends. Like a young missionary, she teaches them what she has learned in the hope that they’ll want to be children of God too, members of the Catholic Church.

“I’m not afraid to follow that calling, because it’s really God who wants me to be part of the Church. Because He loves us all very much.”