International Catholic University
I. Sacraments of Initiation: traditional order
A. Baptism (infants in Latin Church receive post-baptismal sacramental, anointing with chrism showing the essential connection between baptism and confirmation)
B. Confirmation/Chrismation
C. Eucharist: infants in Latin Church brought to altar for Our Father. Shows orientation of baptism to Eucharistic completion. CCC 1244
D. A progressive mystery of deepening communion.
II. The Sacrament of Baptism: the door of entry (CCC 1213; CIC 849)
A. Baptism's etymology: from Greek "to plunge" or "immerse"
1. Immersion (full or partial): the "original and full sign" of baptism CCC 628, CIC 854 Preferred but unnecessary, strictly speaking. "More suitable as a symbol of participation in the death and resurrection of Christ." Intro to the Rite of Christian Initiation 22. Normal in Byzantine & other eastern rites. See Kilian McDonnell, W 47 for diagram on how it was done in patristic era.
2. Affusion (pouring) is also OK: sprinkling no longer mentioned. See Didache, 7:1-4 in Richardson, Early Christian Fathers: "baptize in running water, 'in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' If you do not have running water, baptize in some other. If you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times." 1st or early 2nd cent.
B. The symbol (matter) of baptism: Water
1. Washing: cleansing from sin. This the meaning most readily apparent to us.
a. Ezek 36:25-28 "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses."
b. Eph 5:25-27 Christ cleansed the Church "by the washing of water with the word"
c. Titus 3:5 Heb 10:22f
2. Destructive: death, flood (Gen 7-8, 1 Pet 3:20), Red Sea (Ex 14)
a. Yet This destructive meaning of water the predominant one in New Testament and patristic literature.
b. destruction of sin, Satan. Gregory Nazianzen in CCC 1216. "Sin is buried in the water."
c. Cyril, Cat 19, 2-4 destruction of Pharaoh.
d. Entering and leaving the tomb with Christ:
(1) 3 days (triple immersion)
(2) Ro 6:3-4 "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death."
(3) Col 2:12 "You were buried with him in baptism."
(4) Cyril, Cat 20.4 see this as symbol of sharing in Christ's Sufferings
e. Font as tomb. Before a new life can begin, the old one has to die.
3. Regeneration & renewal: living water of Holy Spirit (Jn 4:14,Rev 21:6; 22:1, Ezek 47)
a. Titus 3:5-7 "washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit."
b. Jn 3:3-5 "Born again" or "born from above": original context of this idea is baptism. "Jesus said to Nicodemus "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew (or from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God." He then clarifies what he means: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."
c. Ps. 42:2-3 "As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My being thirsts for God, the living God. When can I go and see the face of God?"
d. Is 12:3 "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation"
e. Font as womb. Water as amniotic fluid. Church as mother. Cyril, Procat 13. Forty days of Lent like the forty weeks of gestation before childbirth.
f. Cyril, Cat. 20,2: "from decrepitude to newness."
g. Col 2:12 Share in Christ's resurrection.
4. Crossing Jordan to Promised Land
a. CCC 1222 says that this Old Testament event prefigures baptism
b. Hippolytus, AT 23.2, milk & honey in early Roman Easter Vigil
c. Baptism followed Lent which symbolized 40 years in the desert
5. Necessary for validity: only Water (matter) & Trinitarian invocation (form)
C. Secondary symbols & rites (can be understood as "sacramentals")
1. The fact that all these are performed in the sacramental rite of reception of a new Catholic into the church who has been baptized privately shows that they are sacramentals.
2. Triple Renunciation of Satan & Profession of Trinitarian Faith
a. in Eastern rites, renunciation facing west; creed facing east
b. Covenant, wedding vows
3. Sign of cross: sphragis. The "seal." Baptismal character. CCC 1235
a. enlisting in the army of Christ: sacramentum as military oath
b. Gal 6:17 "I carry on my body the marks [stigmata] of Jesus Christ". Slaves, devotees of pagan gods, some soldiers branded. Brand makes wearer inviolable. Cain Gen 4:15 Ez 9:4
c. Rev 7:3-4 "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads." (RSV) 144,000. Cf. Rev. 11:1 Names of God & Lamb.
d. Oil of catechumens used
e. protection, pledge of salvation: fearful to demons. Frequent use of sign of cross shows that Christian life is a constant struggle against Satan. AT 37; J. Danielou, Bible & the Liturgy, 59.
f. new spiritual circumcision: circumcision on the 8th day only a figure of the Christian sphragis
g. Cyril, Cat 1:1-2: "Come and be marked with the mystical seal so that the Master can recognize you."
4. Garment: put on Christ. CCC 1227 & 1243; Gal 3:27
a. Is 61:10 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (RSV)
b. Stripping off of old self, naked with Christ on the cross
c. Ro 13:14 "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (RSV)
d. Rev 7:9-14 elect are in white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb.
e. Worn for entire Easter octave in patristic period
f. Significance of religious habit; scapular
g. Cyril calls this the wedding garment. Protocat. 4 (cf. Is 61:10)
h. Apron of a servant
5. Candle: enlightenment. CCC 1243. Mat 5:14, Heb 10:32; Heb 6:1-6
a. Cyril calls the catechumens the "ones who are receiving the light."
6. Chrism (In Latin Church for infant baptism only):
a. anoint as priest, prophet, king; "Christian". CCC 1241.
b. Shows that baptism not quite complete without confirmation (the fact that infant is brought to altar for Our Father shows initiation is not complete without Eucharist)
D. Necessity of baptism for salvation (Jn 3:5)
1. Baptism of blood CCC 1258. Precedent: the Holy Innocents
2. Baptism of desire (explicit and implicit) CCC 1259-60. Precedent of the Good thief.
3. Unbaptized infants who die? Limbo? CCC 1261. Baptism of desire?
E. Minister and Venue of Baptism
1. Ordinary minister: bishop, priest, deacon CIC 861
2. Extraordinary minister:
a. anyone, even pagan, in emergency CCC 1256.
b. Laity need to be instructed how to baptize. CIC 861.2.
(1) spittle invalid. Inadequate sign. Must be recognizable as water
(2) no provisional or temporary baptisms
(3) rite of reception into the Church for those baptized in emergency
c. Protestant baptisms valid (water, intention & Trinity)
d. baptize any kid whose parents don't practice? (valid but not licit).
3. ordinarily in Church; best on Easter Vigil or Sunday (CIC 865-7)
4. infant: normally within the first weeks after birth. CIC 867
F. Predispositions Important: not superstition
1. Cyril Procat 4: "If you persevere in your evil intention, he who is speaking to you is not responsible for that. But then you must not expect to receive grace. The water may receive you, but the Spirit will not accept you."
2. Pre-baptismal fast is universally attested: Paul in Acts 9:9 (3 days). AT, Cyril, origin of Lent.
G. What is effected by baptism? A Triple relationship initiated.
1. Incorporated into Christ and his Body, the Church
a. Communion with death & resurrection of Christ (Ro. 6:3-4); "configured to Christ."(CIC 849). Early Baptistries octagonal, 8th day, resurrection.
b. Incorporation (visible) into the one Church. 1 Cor 12:13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit."
c. Visible, sacramental bond of unity of all believers. CCC 1271
d. Share in Christ's righteousness: all original & personal sin forgiven.
(1) remission of guilt of sin, eternal punishment (CCC 1263)
(2) remission of temporal punishment
(3) yet concupiscence remains, though weakened CCC 1264
e. Share in Christ's victory: liberation from Satan's domination
(1) see CCC 391 on Satan. Creed: "all things visible & invisible"
(2) renunciation of Satan toward West in eastern liturgies
(3) regarding the existence of evil spirits, see CDF, "Christian Faith and Demonology" Boston: DSP, 1975.
2. Made Temples of the Holy Spirit:
a. Christ means "anointed one" [with HS]. We share in his anointing.
(1) proper Christian baptism is not in water only. One does not wait till confirmation to receive the Holy Spirit.
(2) Ro 8:9 "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ."
(3) 1 Cor 12:13 No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit
(4) Titus 3:5-7 "washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit."
b. The Holy Spirit is the great uncreated grace, the the "gift that contains all gifts" CCC 1082. With Him comes:
(1) sanctifying grace
(2) theological virtues all infused at once faith, hope, charity
(3) 7 gifts of Is. 11: Wisdom, knowledge, understanding, piety, fear of the Lord, counsel, fortitude (covered more under confirmation)
(4) charisms (CCC 1266, LG 12 and 30)
(5) share in Christ's mission as anointed priest, prophet, king. Source of duties/rights. CCC1119,1269 (focus of confirmation)
3. Adopted as children of the Father: share in Christ's sonship
a. Read Cyril, Protocat 16 (SL, p. 274)
b. Difference between Christianity & Islam is striking here.
c. Ro 8:15-16 "you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God." RSV
d. Sacramental character.
(1) Permanent relationship. If we walk away, we may be prodigals but we are still sons (Lk 15).
(2) The indelible seal: sacramental character CCC 1272-4.
(a) Creed: "one baptism." Augustine: "injure baptism"
(b) seal = positive disposition for grace, guarantee of divine protection, and vocation to worship & service
H. Baptism, faith, & justification
1. 3-fold renunciation & profession of faith: nuptial meaning, wedding vows (see Cyril of Jerusalem in SL, 271, 275-8)
2. Instrumental cause: confers, does not just signify
a. Titus 3:5-7 "washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit."
b. 1 Pet 3:21 "Baptism . . . now saves you."
3. Yet sanctifying grace & theological virtues can be present prior to baptism. See last sentenced of LG 14; also CCC 1257: "God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments." Cf. Acts 10:44-48, Holy Spirit falls on Cornelius prior to baptism.
4. sacrament of faith (conviction, confidence, commitment)
5. faith not naked & alone: faith, hope, love infused at once
6. Church's faith precedes the faith of the individual. CCC 1124