Annie and the Seven Sacraments
Chapter Two
Annie's Little Sister is born
"Five minutes later, Annie was telling Mrs Smith about her misgivings.
"Is it silly to baptise a baby, Mrs Smith?" she asked.
"Of course not, love.
Even Jesus of Nazareth allowed himself to be baptised."
"But Mrs Benson says a small baby has done no harm. So why should it need baptism?"
"Because the Bible tells us that Jesus said we need baptism to be saved. *
And He had Himself baptised to set us the example.
When we baptise our babies, we follow that example."
One of Mrs Smith's dogs had jumped on to Annie's knee.
As Annie pondered on this information, a knock came to the front door.
"That will be Father Tom," Mrs Smith said.
"He has come to collect the cakes from me because I can no longer drive my car.
Let's ask him about baptism."
She bustled out towards the front door and came back a minute later, followed by their kind old parish priest.
When Father Tom smiled at Annie, her last vestige of unhappiness left her.
"Why do people have to baptise their babies, Father?" she asked.
"I know why you're asking that!" Father Tom said, smiling more broadly than ever.
"I've just been visiting at the hospital.
I met your father, pacing up and down one of the corridors.
He told me your mother would be having the baby within the next hour, according to the doctor.
Yes, of course we have to baptise our babies."
Thoug Annie knew him to be a very busy man, he looked as if he had all the time in the world to spare for her as he lowered himself into one of Mrs Smith's chairs and accepted her offer of a cup of tea.
As they waited for Mrs Smith to return from the kitchen, Annie told Father Tom about Mrs Benson.
After she had finished, he was silent and thought for a minute, before saying,
"I think I must explain to you about Mrs Benson, because you're going to meet many who think the way she does during your life.
Mrs Benson may have not been taught about God when she was growing up.
On the other hand, she may have lost her faith in God along the way.
"Faith is like a plant.
It needs care and attention, in order to survive.
Who knows what difficulties Mrs Benson may have had in her life, that have made her so sad?
It is important not to judge someone else, because we do not always understand the pain they experienced in the past to make them the way they are today.
Why don't we start praying for Mrs Benson and her son?
She is getting old now and may have to meet God very soon.
If she has never had faith in God and the wonderful eternal life to come, this may be a frightening thought for her.
She is getting the example of faith from your parents and if you start praying for her it is certain that God will always hear your loving concern and prayers for someone else, and grant blessings to that person."
Mrs Smith entered the room bearing a tray.
She poured tea for Father and cold drink for Annie and held the plate of fairy cakes out to them invitingly.
Annie took a blue one and a pink one; one for the new baby in case it was a boy and the other in case the little one would be a girl.
The adults laughed with her.
Then Mrs Smith took her knitting from behind the sofa and said: "I'd better finish this quickly. It's a jersey for your new baby. How this does take me back. It seems it was just the other day when I was knitting one in the very same pattern for you."
At any other time, this information would have intrigued Annie greatly.
Today, however, she was still thinking about Mrs Benson.
She asked: "If I'm praying for her, do I also have to believe all she tells me?"
"That depends on what she tells you," Father Tom answered.
"When she talks about religion you don't have to believe her, for she doesn't appear to know very much about it, but when she tells you to keep your room tidy you'd better believe her."
Laughing at his quip, Annie felt much cheered.
Then another thought struck her.
"Is Mrs Benson's son too old to be baptised now?" she asked.
"No he isn't.
If grownups asks for baptism, baptism will take away all sins they have ever committed, provided they are truly sorry for them.
But they must know that through baptism they become members of the Christian Church and have to obey God's Law.
Later on the grownups will also receive other sacraments."
That was a new word for Annie.
"What's a sacrament, Father?"
"A sacrament is an outward sign and effective instrument of God's grace and a person's faith.
The Christian Church has seven sacraments.
In addition to baptism there are six other sacraments; Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony.
But you have to be baptised before you can receive any of the other sacraments."
Annie felt that the conversation was becoming too complicated for her.
Though it was nice that Father Tom did not feel the need to talk down to her the way adults often did, her head was starting to ache from concentration.
She was relieved, therefore, when Mrs Smith put in a question of her own.
"It there any special reason why parents give their children a saint's name at baptism, Father?"
"A lot of people no longer do, more's the pity.
The name of a saint is given in baptism so that the baptised person may imitate the saint's virtues and good deeds and be protected by the saint," Father Tom replied.
"I always advise parents who ask to have their babies baptised to at least give the babies the second name for their saint's name.
Now Annie here has been called after St Anne, our Lord's grandmother.
And Mrs Smith is called Mary, named after Mary of Nazareth herself.
Aren't you the lucky one?"
Glancing down at his watch, he exclaimed: "Dear me. I must run!
Have you any further questions before I go back to the presbytery, Annie?"
"Why is baptism the first sacrament we receive?"
"Because it is the sacrament which gives our souls the new life of sanctifying grace."
A piercing scream was heard from outside.
"An-NEE! Where are you?"
Mrs Benson's powerful voice shattered the neighbourhood peace.
Dogs began to bark, fowls clucked and Bruno, one of the Smith dogs, ran for cover under the sofe.
"That's Mrs Benson," Annie sighed althoug there really was no need for her to state the obvious.
"Maybe she's heard from your mother," Mrs Smith suggested.
Annie's heart leaped.
"Here I am, Mrs Benson," she shouted, running out by way of the kitchen and almost missing her footing as she vaulted the fence separating her parents' home from that of Mrs Smith.
She barely recognised their old housekeeper, whose face was wreathed in smiles.
"Your father has phoned from the hospital.
Your mother has just had a little girl," Mrs Benson said.
"Yippee!" Annie shrieked, jumping for joy.
She sobered for an instant.
"Are you sure it isn't another little boy, Mrs Benson?"
The housekeeper laughed and for a brief moment she looked almost pretty.
"Yes, quite sure," she said drily.
"Your dad said to tell you her name is going to be Trudy, after your grandmother."
Father Tom and Mrs Smith were standing listening at the fence, smiling as broadly as though they too had just been blessed with a brand new baby sister.
As she went over to them and shook hands, Annie was struck by a thought.
"Is Trudy a saint's name, Father?" she asked anxiously.
"It certainly is," Father Tom assured her.
"You mean to tell me you have never heard of St Gertrude of Helfta who loved Jesus of Nazareth so much? She lived in the thirteenth century."
Mrs Benson's smile faded and she walked back to the kitchen looking thoroughly disgusted.
When Annie went back into the kitchen of her home, Mrs Benson's face was long again.
Annie took no notice.
This was going to be a day of joy and peace and no long face or nasty comment was going to be allowed to spoil it.
When Mrs Benson asked her what rubbish Father Tom had been talking, Annie pretended that she hadn't heard her properly.
She took her brothers over to the garden gate where they waited for Dad to come home.
As for Mrs Benson, she gave an audible sniff, followed by a sign, and went back to her never-ending polishing and cleaning, which she did with so much enthusiasm, though it never appeared to bring her any joy.
* The Bible, the evangelist Mark, Chapter 16, verse 16
