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Baptism and Confirmation

September 26, 2006

Dev Thakur

Introduction

• Holy Baptism and Holy Confirmation are two of the three sacraments of initiation. The third sacrament of initiation is the Eucharist.

• "The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.

The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who

receive them with the required dispositions."

• The Church celebrates the sacraments as a priestly community.

• The sacraments strengthen and express faith.

• "The fruit of the sacramental life is both personal and ecclesial." (CCC 1131-1134)

• The sacraments of initiation—Holy Baptism, Holy Confirmation and Holy Eucharist—lay the foundations of Christian life (CCC 1212). This unity of the sacraments of initiation, along with bond that all Christians have with the Bishop, who is successor to the Apostles, is expressed differently in the Eastern and Western traditions.

Holy Baptism

• Baptism is a "plunging" or "immersion" (baptizein), signifying death and burial (CCC 1214). 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, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Rom 6:3-4).

• Baptism is a "washing" which brings about the birth "of water and the Spirit" which is necessary for salvation." He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7). Truly, truly, I

say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

• Thus by baptism all sin is forgiven, original as well as personal, and also all punishment for sin. However, certain temporal consequences remain (CCC 1263-1264).

• Baptism recreates and makes the newly baptized into a son of God by adoption, a "partaker of the divine nature," a member of the body of Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of

the divine nature (2 Pet 1:3-5). But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we migh receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God (Gal 4:4-7). See also 1 Cor 6:15, 12:27; Rom 8:17; 1 Cor 6:19.

• By incorporating the neophyte into the body of Christ, baptism also incorporates into the Church and into the baptismal priesthood. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

• The baptized person no longer belongs to himself. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised (1 Cor 5:14-15).

• The baptized person is called to certain responsibilities and duties, but also enjoys certain rights. These include: "to receive the sacraments, to be nourished with the Word of God and to be sustained by the other spiritual helps of the Church" (CCC 1269; Lumen Gentium 37).

• Baptism leaves an indelible seal on the soul.

• Baptism “constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians” (CCC 1271). For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—

Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit (1 Cor 12:12-13).

• Baptism is in some form throughout the history of salvation. It is prefigured in the Old Covenant in the story of creation, the account of the flood, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the crossing of the Jordan. Christ began his public life by himself being baptized by John. After his Resurrection he gave his apostles the great commission: 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. And behold, I am with you always, to

the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus opened to all men the fountain of baptism in his Passion.

• The Church has baptized since its very beginning at Pentecost. And 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” (Acts 2:38).

• Baptism is usually reserved to the ordinary ministers. However anyone can baptize in an emergency using proper form and matter.

• Anyone can be baptized who has not yet been baptized. The Latin Church has restored the ancient tradition for the baptism of adults. The Church has always baptized infants. Infant baptism is strongly suggested in biblical accounts. It is also supported by the analogy to circumcision, the theology of baptism as pure grace, and the necessity of baptism for salvation. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the

prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus,

and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family (Acts 16:25-33).

• The Church has always affirmed the biblical teaching that baptism is necessary for salvation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16). The Church also teaches a baptism of desire and a baptism of blood. Ultimately, the Church condemns all of the unbaptized to the mercy of our loving God.

Holy Confirmation

• “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” (Lumen Gentium 11).

• The fullness of the Spirit anointing Jesus Christ was shown publically as the Holy Spirit came to rest upon him after his baptism. This fullness of the Spirit is communicated to the whole people of God in confirmation.

• “The essential rite of the sacrament follows. In the Latin rite, 'the sacrament of Confirmation is conferred through the anointing with chrism on the forehead, which is done by the laying on of the hand, and through the words: Accipe signaculum doni Spiritus Sancti [Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.].' In the Eastern Churches of Byzantine rite, after a prayer of epiclesis, the more significant parts of the body are anointed with myron: forehead, eyes, nose, ears, lips, chest, back, hands, and feet. Each anointing is accompanied by the formula SfragiV dwreaV PneumatoV ¢Agiou (Signaculum doni Spiritus Sancti): 'the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.' ” (CCC 1300).

• Confirmation: increases and deepens baptismal grace, roots us more firmly in divine filiation, unites us more firmly to Christ, increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us, renders our bond with the Church more perfect, and give us strength to defend and proclaim the faith (CCC 1303).

• Confirmation, like baptism, leaves an indelible seal on the soul.

• Any baptized person who has not received confirmation may receive it. He should be in the state of grace. Confirmation is reserved to ordained ministers.