From the Bishops Baptism of our Lord helps us increase understanding of the sacrament

Feb 17, 2011

As the Christmas Season came to a conclusion the Church celebrated the feast of the Baptism of our Lord. As the Holy Spirit hovered over Jesus, we hear the voice of the Father, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). This is the first clear manifestation of the Trinity we see in the Gospels, one God revealed as three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The feast also provided us with the opportunity to deepen the understanding of the Sacrament of Baptism and what occurs to us in Baptism.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches, “Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit...and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word?” (1213). Through baptism the person to be baptized is buried “into Christ's death, from which he rises up by resurrection with him, as 'a new creature.'” (CCC 1214).

Let us look at the graces received at baptism. First there is the forgiveness of sin. For the infant and the adult to be baptized original sin is forgiven. Original sin is the sin of Adam and Eve, by putting themselves first before God and disobeying him, they lost original innocence, and this loss has been passed on to every human being, except the Blessed Mother (CCC 396-412).

For the person who is baptized above the age of reason, original sin is forgiven as well as all personal sins, which are the sins we choose to commit as individuals. With this gift of forgiveness, certain consequences of original sin do however remain “such as suffering, illness, death and such frailties inherent in life as weaknesses of character, and so on, as well as an inclination to sin” (CCC 1264). Some consequences of personal sin also remain, including the damage to relationships and habits of sin. In all events, grace is stronger than our sin, so by sharing in the death of Jesus Christ, the persons sins are forgiven and new life bestowed.

In becoming “a new creature” one becomes an adopted son or daughter of the Father, in the one Son, Jesus Christ. Every baptized person is truly a beloved daughter or son of the Father, known and loved by him, and placed in intimate relationship with him. Just as the words, “This is my beloved Son” were pronounced by the Father over Jesus, so too are those words pronounced by the Father on every baptized person. We must come to have confidence and trust in this truth if we are to know our true identity as beloved sons and daughters of the Father.

As a “member of Christ,” the person shares in the divine life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and enters into communion within the very life of the Trinity. The Trinity bestows grace freely on the person, giving him the gifts of faith, hope and charity. As freely bestowed gifts, they enable the baptized person to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, to receive his gifts, and to grow in goodness by the living out of the moral virtues (CCC 1266).

The baptized person must desire in his or her heart to receive this grace, to grow in this grace, and to cooperate with it. The grace grows and deepens the more it is desired, prayed for and lived.

Baptism opens the doors to the other sacraments of the Church. Confirmation completes baptism and leads us to the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the summit of initiation into the life of the Church (CCC 1233). Through the participation in the Eucharist and the reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the graces of baptism and confirmation are nourished and help the person to grow in holiness.

Through incorporation into the Church, “the person baptized belongs no longer to himself, but to him who died and rose for us. From now on, he is called to be subject to others, to serve them in the communion of the Church, and to obey and submit to the Church's leaders, holding them in respect and affection. Just as Baptism is the source of responsibilities and duties, the baptized person also enjoys rights within the Church: 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).

In belonging to the Church, the Body of Christ, all baptized persons are related to one another and called into deeper communion and obedience to Christ and His Church. The message of Jesus Christ is universal and for all peoples and this union crosses every boundary of nation, language, culture and people. This union with God and one another is not something that happens overnight but rather grows and deepens through catechesis, reception of the sacraments, and the living out of the Commandments in love and obedience.

Finally, we are called to share in the mission of the Church which is the salvation of souls and the transformation of the world. Jesus gave the clear command to his disciples, which is still valid for today, to go out to all the nations and make disciples, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Faith is never just personal

Our faith is never just personal but rather one that is to influence the way we live our lives in the world and form the world. The Second Vatican Council reminded all members of the Church, that we are to serve “as a leaven and as a kind of soul for human society as it is to be renewed in Christ and transformed into God's family” (Gaudium et Spes 42).

Since many of us are baptized as infants, it is good to meditate on the Sacrament of Baptism and to reflect on the truth of what occurred on that day. It is good for Christians to celebrate the day of their baptism as they celebrate their birthday and anniversaries of ordination and marriage. I encourage those who have Catechisms of the Catholic Church to prayerfully read the section on Baptism (CCC 1212-1284) in order to understand this great sacrament more fully. It is good to read during Eucharistic Adoration, praying to the Holy Spirit for understanding prior to reading. If you do not have your own Catechism, it can be found online at www.vatican.va/archive/ccc/index.htm.

May each one of us receive more fully the truth of what it means to be a beloved son or daughter of the Father and may we bring this great gift to our families.


Bishop Aquila's column originally appeared in the New Earth of the Catholic Diocese of Fargo.

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