The story of Jesus blessing the little children is a significant passage of the gospel, and it almost certainly formed part of the Church's reasoning in allowing infant baptism as the Church realized they should not hinder the children from receiving the grace of salvation even at an early age. Personal and responsible choice plays a significant role in an adult's choice to receive baptism. In the case of the children the notion of gift is important.

Everything a child has is a gift from God through the cooperation of its parents, beginning with life itself. It is logical then that parents should be able to bestow the great gift of faith and grace on their children. Meditating on the gift of baptism to new-born children may help us adults to recover something of the meaning of faith and grace