I write these “To Such As These” posts every now and then to explain some aspect of the Catholic faith to children. I try to use simple language so you can just read it directly to them instead of having to put it into your own words! The category name is inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
Today, we will be looking at anointing, and what our baptismal anointing means.
If you have any topics you’d like me to cover in this category, pop them in the comments and I’ll add them to the list!
This Sunday, in the Gospel reading, we will hear Jesus ask who people think He is. The disciples tell him what people at the time thought; that He was a new prophet, or perhaps one of the old prophets like Elisha or Elijah, who returned to prepare the way for the Messiah. When Jesus asks them who they think He is, Peter speaks up and says that Jesus is the Christ.
But what does it mean that He is the Christ?
Christ is a name with a meaning, like any last name, which can signify what someone does, how they look, or where they are from. Christ comes from the Greek word Christos (Χριστός), which means anointed one. Among the Israelites, who were the people through which God brought the Messiah, who would save the whole world, priests, prophets and kings were anointed with oil. This was a sign that they had been chosen by God and were filled with His Spirit.
Interestingly, When we are baptised, we become Christians, that is to say that we become little Christs. At baptism, we are anointed with oil, we receive the Holy Spirit, and we gain an identity in Jesus Christ. Just like the priests, prophets, and kings of the Old Testament, we are also chosen by God to become part of His family! During this anointing, the priest says a prayer with the words, “…as Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as a member of his body…” That means that every person who is baptised is anointed a priest, a prophet, and a king! Including you!
Priest, prophet, and king are more than just cool titles. Let’s take a deeper look and try to understand what we should do in each of these roles. To do this, let’s look at what it meant for an Israelite to be a priest, prophet, or king.
A priest in the Old Testament was someone who made sacrifices to worship God, and connect God to the people. Our consecrated priests offer up Christ’s sacrifice on the cross each time they say Mass. But because you have been baptised, you are a priest who is part of the crowd. That means that you have a role in offering up sacrifices to worship God too. You can give your heart and your life to God together with the sacrifice of Jesus. You can connect God to the people around you by asking Him to use your heart and life to save the people you care about.
A prophet in the Old Testament was a person who told others about God and encouraged them to live as God wants them to live. You can do this by setting an example in your own life and living in a way that honours God. You can also speak personally to people you love to correct them. Many artists, youtubers, bloggers and podcasters also live their prophetic role through the media and content they produce. Maybe you have a special talent that you could use to teach others about God or help them to live holy lives.
A king is not just a person who rules over people. In the Old Testament, a king’s job was to lead people to God. You too, in the things that you do in your everyday life, can lead others to God. You can help people to make good choices, by making good choices yourself, and also by giving words of encouragement or advice. You can remind other people to pray, or even invite them to pray with you!
Through our lives, people should be able to look at us and recognise that we are anointed priest, prophet and king. Who are we? We are little Christs!
Talking points
- Let’s think of some people to pray for this week when we go to Mass.
- What talents do you have that you could use to teach others about God? Let’s write a poem/make an artwork/sing a song that sends a message about God.
- Have you helped someone to make a good choice? What did you do?
Let me know if you have any other thoughts on this in the comments below. How have you been a priest, prophet, or king to the people in your life recently? I find this baptismal anointing to be such a powerful call and a reminder of our work as Christians and would love to keep the discussion going!
Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!
Mom Things Through Christ 