Baptism The Gateway to the

Life

St Joan of Arc RCIA – Catechumenate Mark Mueller

The sacraments of Christian initiation - Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist - lay the foundations of every Christian life. "The sharing in the divine nature given to men through the grace of Christ bears a certain likeness to the origin, development, and nourishing of natural life. The faithful are born anew by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation, and receive in the Eucharist the food of eternal life. … (CCC, 1212)

An efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us through the work of the Holy Spirit (CCC 774, 1131).

There are innumerable opportunities open to the laity for the exercise of their apostolate of evangelization and sanctification. The very testimony of their Christian life and good works done in a supernatural spirit have the power to draw men to belief and to God… (Vatican Council II Apostolicam Actuositatem, 6)

…to whom much is given, of him will much be required . (Luke 12:14)

What does the Words Baptism Mean

Baptizo (Greek): to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge , to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water. (Greek Interlinear Bible)

The “door” which gives access to the other sacraments. Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins because it unites us with Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our justification. Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist constitute the “sacraments of initiation” by which a believer receives the remission of original and personal sin, begins a new life in Christ and the Holy Spirit, and is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ. The rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water, or pouring water on the head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit . (CCC Glossary, Baptism)

Matthew 28: 18-20 - Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

Sacrament of Faith, Illumination, Purgation, A Burial, A Planting, … "a gate through which we enter into the fellowship of Christian Life” (Part II Catechism of the Council of Trent)

Baptism in 215 AD They who are to be set apart for baptism shall be chosen after their lives have been examined: whether they have lived soberly, whether they have honored the widows, whether they have visited the sick, whether they have been active in well-doing. When their sponsors have testified that they have done these things, then let them hear the Gospel. Then from the time that they are separated from the other catechumens, hands shall be laid upon them daily in exorcism … up. They shall spend all that night in vigil, listening to reading and instruction … They shall remove their clothing. And first baptize the little ones; if they can speak for themselves, they shall do so; if not, their parents or other relatives shall speak for them. Then baptize the men, and last of all the women; they must first loosen their hair and put aside any gold or silver ornaments that they were wearing : let no one take any alien thing down to the water with them…. Then, after these things, let him give him over to the presbyter who baptizes, and let the candidates stand in the water, naked, a deacon going with them likewise. And when he who is being baptized goes down into the water, he who baptizes him, putting his hand on him, shall say thus: Dost thou believe in God, the Father Almighty? And he who is being baptized shall say: I believe. … Then, pouring the oil of thanksgiving from his hand and putting it on his forehead, he shall say: I anoint thee with holy oil in the Lord, the Father Almighty and Christ Jesus and [the] Holy Ghost. And signing them on the forehead he shall say: The Lord be with thee; and he who is signed shall say: And with thy spirit. And so he shall do to each one. … And immediately thereafter they shall join in prayer with all the people, but they shall not pray with the faithful until all these things are completed. And at the close of their prayer they shall give the kiss of peace.

APOSTOLIC TRADITION OF HIPPOLYTUS

Baptism in the Hebrew Scripture

Gen 1:1-2 - In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. (ref CCC 1218)

Exodus 14: 21-22 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD swept the sea with a strong east wind throughout the night and so turned it into dry land. When the water was thus divided, the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left. (ref CCC1 221)

2 Kings 5: 10-14 The prophet sent him the message:"Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.” But Naaman went away angry, saying, "I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the spot, and thus cure the leprosy. Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?" With this, he turned about in anger and left. But his servants came up and reasoned with him. "My father," they said, "if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, 'Wash and be clean,' should you do as he said.” So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Baptism in the New Testament

Matthew 3: 11-17 - I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. … Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, "Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened (for him), and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (and) coming upon him. 17 And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, * with whom I am well pleased.”

Acts 2: 38 Peter (said) to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.

John 3:5 … no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

The Sacrament of Baptism

An efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us through the work of the Holy Spirit (CCC 774, 1131).

The Sacrament of Baptism can be said to exist only when we actually apply the water to someone by way of ablution, while using the words appointed by our Lord. (Catechism of Trent … Part II)

When the Lord brought you into the Church He put an indelible mark upon your soul through Baptism you are a son [and daughter] of God. Don’t forget it. (St Josemaria Escriva The Forge, 264)

“The God of power and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin and brought you to new life through water and the Holy Spirit. He now anoints you with the chrism of Salvation, so that united with His people, you may remain for ever a member of Christ who is Priest, Prophet, and King. (Rite of Baptism, RCIA 385)

Catechism Parts: I. What We Believe (The Profession of

Faith)

II. How We Celebrate what We Believe (The Celebration of the Christian Mystery)

III. How we Celebrate what We Believe and Receive (Life in Christ)

IV. How we keep on Believing What we Celebrate, Believe, and Receive. (Christian Prayer)

John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.”

The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them. Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are "reborn of water and the Spirit." God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments. CCC 1257

The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament. CCC 1258

"Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery.” Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity. CCC 1260

As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,” allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism. CCC 1261

Baptism … Necessary for Salvation?

Confirmation … the completion of

baptismal grace

"You have been enlightened by Christ; walk

always as children of the light, and keep

the flame of faith alive in your hearts.“

(RCIA, 230)

Roots….

After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened (for him), and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (and) coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.“ (Matthew 3: 16-17)

"Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the meeting tent, and there wash them with water. Clothe Aaron with the sacred vestments and anoint him, thus consecrating him as my priest. Bring forward his sons also, and clothe them with the tunics. As you have anointed their father, anoint them also as my priests. Thus, by being anointed, shall they receive a perpetual priesthood throughout all future generations.“ (Exodus 40:12-15)

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.“ Luke 4: 18-19

Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation," whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.” CCC 1285

All-Powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your son/daughter from sin and gave him/her new life. Send your Holy Spirit upon him / her to be his / her helper and guide. Give him/her the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence. Fill him/her with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence. We ask this through Christ the Lord. Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. (RCIA, 390-391)

Get Fired Up!

In our era, more than in the past, there is a greater need for faith in order to be witnesses of Christ in a secularized world. Therefore, make certain that the state of being perfect Christians, which Confirmation constitutes in you, touches your souls deeply and finds in you a corresponding authentic life of faith; make certain that that objective sacramental condition comes into line, without separation or flaws or contradictions, with the subjective existential condition of each of you. The gift of the Spirit, just as his individual gifts, does not excuse us from a response of the will, nor from the effort necessary to make them all bear fruit: the Lord never dispenses mankind from the duty of corresponding and collaborating. And if among these gifts stands out - and I wanted to remind you- that of a greater outpouring of supernatural light, it follows that the personal response must be more decisive and more steadfast on the part of man. (John Paul II, Homily June 27, 1982)

Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2: 4-5)

So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

Sanctified and Nourished … Rooted in Him and Built Upon Him and Established In The Faith

Questions???