These are the words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who lived in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin (Jeremiah 1:1). As we contemplate the beginning of this prophet, we are invited to recognize that identity is not merely a given presented, but a calling in transformation. When I lift my eyes to the church's ministry and, holding a child in baptism, ask the parents: “What is the Christian name of this baby?” I am not only identifying the name that will be given, but asking which person Christ intends to form in that infant’s heart. The question, therefore, resounds as a commitment: that the destiny of this little one be forged by God’s grace, by the faith that receives and by the hope that does not give up.
When speaking of urgently proclaiming the type of life to grow toward, I am recalling the role of the faith community in fixing its vision on Christ. The life we reflect is not merely ethical or about habits, but a life pierced by the presence of God, before which every decision, every teaching, every baptism points to the holiness of Christ. Thus, the church’s proclamation is not only doctrine, but a living invitation: to walk toward maturity in Jesus, allowing the Name that receives the baby to become the Name that guides every step of daily life—at home, at work, at school, and in the neighborhood.
Therefore, may each family participating in the celebration recognize that the ultimate objective is not merely to perform rituals, but to form disciples who bear fruit in love, faithfulness, and humility. The Christian life is a story of continual transformation, in which the child presented today finds, by the work of the Spirit, the presence that guides, sustains, and empowers. May this vision — of transforming what begins in the child by grace, by the Word, by the community — remain steadfast, encouraging parents, teachers, and the whole church to persevere in faith, knowing that every step toward holiness is a victory of Christ and a hope for the world.