This sacrament is called Baptism, after the central rite by which it is carried out: to baptize (Greek baptizein) means to ‘plunge’ or ‘immerse’; the ‘plunge’ into the water symbolizes the catechumen's burial into Christ's death, from which he rises up by resurrection with him, as ‘a new creature.[1] This gives one the concise definition on Baptism. Now that the term has been defined one can look at the effect of Baptism. Michael Schmaus writes:
It includes liberation from sin; inner renewal and sanctification (sanctifying grace); being incorporated in the Church; being incorporated in Christ; receiving a share in the life of Christ, in his saving death and his resurrection; the pouring out of the Holy Spirit; the meeting with the Father in heaven as the God our Lord Jesus Christ, as the first person in the tripersonal divine life.[2] This effect of Baptism is more in depth on the actuality of the Sacrament. Thus from these examples of definition and effect one is able to then start dissect the Sacrament of Baptism. The Sacrament of Baptism will be dissected into the following parts: the gate way to all other Sacraments through Salvation, it gives a rebirth by means of death to sin and life in Christ, and it incorporates the full integration towards the Church through communion of the body.
First, one can break down the Sacrament of Baptism, making it in some way the starting point to the rest of the Sacraments. One must understand that all the sacraments were instituted directly or indirectly through His Apostles who preached through His authority. Aidan Kavanagh sheds light on the subject with, “Baptism is not an enacted metaphor based on the cross: baptism is the power of the cross made actual among those who believe.”[3] This shows the power of Christ directly having effects through Baptism. Another example of Baptism being the gate way to all other Sacraments is, according to the Catechism “Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.”[4] From this, one can see that Baptism is the start, that grants and points to the rest of the Sacraments Moreover, the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order states, “ Baptism is not merley a human act, either of the one who admisters or the one who recieces it, but it is divine ,an act of him who‘baptizes with the holy spirit’”[5]. This makes one understand it is the Holy Spirit who acts with the Sacrament. Ex Opere Opreantis, this is the work of the one who is working now and it causes grace. This is the person and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is who acts first, then the person. This is why one can't receive the other Sacraments until Baptism where one receives the Holy Spirit. Thus this makes Baptism the gate way to all other Sacraments as a mean of Salvation.
Next, Baptism can be broken down as the rebirth of one’s life in Christ, as one is put to death the old life of sins. The Catechism states:
By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin. In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam's sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God.[6]From this one is able to see that sins are forgiven, until one finds one’ self in the midst of commenting a sin. As new creations one needs to have open eyes as a new creature. The Catechism states:
Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte ‘a new creature,’ an adopted son of God, who has become a "partaker of the divine nature,’ member of Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.[7]
This helps one see that through Baptism one becomes a new through Jesus and the body becomes a living temple; the promised of eternal glory. Moreso, one needs to see Baptism as in the eyes of Joseph Ratzinger, ”The actual ritual of Baptism symbol of death, which recalls the death symbolism of the annihilating, destructive power of the ocean floods.”[8] This gives an example of death to sin from the power of Christ, with the waters flooding one’s old life out. Another example can be seen from the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order:Baptism takes effect according as we die daily with Christ, die to sin, and as we daily rise with him, being daliy renewed in the new life in Chirst. And what is given to us in baptism in an anticiparory way and as an ‘earnest’ is ‘fulfilled’ only on the day of resurrection . What happens in baptism is that my little life is taken up into God’s plan of salvation , the mighty movement of salvation- history, whereby it is carried along towards its eschatological fulfilment at the Parousia of Christ.[9] This gives one the clear understanding of Baptism killing the sins and of old life to one being able to rise with Christ in new life. This makes Baptism a rebirth by means of death to sin and life in Christ.
By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin. In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam's sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God.[6]From this one is able to see that sins are forgiven, until one finds one’ self in the midst of commenting a sin. As new creations one needs to have open eyes as a new creature. The Catechism states:
Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the neophyte ‘a new creature,’ an adopted son of God, who has become a "partaker of the divine nature,’ member of Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.[7]
This helps one see that through Baptism one becomes a new through Jesus and the body becomes a living temple; the promised of eternal glory. Moreso, one needs to see Baptism as in the eyes of Joseph Ratzinger, ”The actual ritual of Baptism symbol of death, which recalls the death symbolism of the annihilating, destructive power of the ocean floods.”[8] This gives an example of death to sin from the power of Christ, with the waters flooding one’s old life out. Another example can be seen from the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order:Baptism takes effect according as we die daily with Christ, die to sin, and as we daily rise with him, being daliy renewed in the new life in Chirst. And what is given to us in baptism in an anticiparory way and as an ‘earnest’ is ‘fulfilled’ only on the day of resurrection . What happens in baptism is that my little life is taken up into God’s plan of salvation , the mighty movement of salvation- history, whereby it is carried along towards its eschatological fulfilment at the Parousia of Christ.[9] This gives one the clear understanding of Baptism killing the sins and of old life to one being able to rise with Christ in new life. This makes Baptism a rebirth by means of death to sin and life in Christ.
Lastly, and one can argue most importantly, the Sacrament of Baptism incorporates one in the full integration of the Church by means of being in communion with the Church. When one is in communion with the Church it is fair to say the Church is part of the body of Christ. Thus it is even fairer to state that Christ is the head of the body. An example of this is from Schmaus:
Incorporation in the Church includes incorporation in Christ, i.e. encounter with and being made into the likeness of, Christ. The latter is not the result of membership of the Church; it is the form of it. The Church is the body of Christ; Christ is the head of the Church. The membership in the Church contains within itself a process of growth in the likeness of Christ, the Church’s head.[10]
This example is precise in the wording and explanation of Church as means of a body. Furthermore, one can take a deeper understanding of the Church as a body with communion in Christ from the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order:
This body binds men together in the communion (koinonia) of life and righteouness over which Christ rules and through which a new creation emerges,a new humaity in Christ. The members of the body are through the participation (koinonia) of the Holy Spirt knit toghether and built into one another in the power of love.[11]
From this quote one can see how the body unites together in the comminion that is shred between the Baptized the Trinty. Diving in with a deeper look the Catechism points out:
This example is precise in the wording and explanation of Church as means of a body. Furthermore, one can take a deeper understanding of the Church as a body with communion in Christ from the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order:
This body binds men together in the communion (koinonia) of life and righteouness over which Christ rules and through which a new creation emerges,a new humaity in Christ. The members of the body are through the participation (koinonia) of the Holy Spirt knit toghether and built into one another in the power of love.[11]
From this quote one can see how the body unites together in the comminion that is shred between the Baptized the Trinty. Diving in with a deeper look the Catechism points out:
Having become a member of 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.[12] This quote helps one to see with in dept so that one understands the community with Jesus as He is the head of the body in which one participates in. From these examples one is given the proper display to understand the Baptized role in the body. Furthermore through the Sacrament of Baptism one can incorporate the fullness of integration towards the Church through communion of the body.
The Sacrament of Baptism is vastly more than the matter of water and oil. The person becomes more united with Christ, and those who share in the Baptism are united into community. By integrating the Sacrament of Baptism one is then able to have a fuller understanding, appreciation, and love for the Sacrament of Baptism. Moreover, by looking at Baptism in the Theological aspects of more than the matter of water and oil, one is then able to follow the parts of: the gate way to all other Sacraments through Salvation, it gives a rebirth by means of death to sin and life in Christ, and it incorporates the full integration towards the Church through communion of the body.
Bibliography
Catechism of the Catholic Church. http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc%20toc.htm (Accessed April 20, 2010).Kavanagh, Aidan. The Shape of Baptism: The Rite of Christian Initiation. New York: Pueblo Publishing Company, 1974.
Order, World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and. One Lord One Baptism. Minneapolis: Augusburg Publishing House, 1960.
Ratzinger, Joseph. Jesus of Nazareth. New York: Doubleday, 2007.
Schmaus, Michael. Dogma 5 The Church as Sacrament. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1975.
Vorgrimler, Herbert. Sacramental Theology. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1992.
[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church, http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm (Accessed April 20, 2010), 1213. From this point Catechism of the Catholic Church, will be known as CCC
[2] Michael Schmaus, Dogma 5 The Church as Sacrament (New York: Rowman & Littlefield,1975), 146.
[3]Aidan Kavanagh, The Shape of Baptism: The Rite of Christian Initiation (New York: Pueblo, 1974), 5.
[4]CCC, 1214.
[5] World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order One Lord One Baptism, (Minneapolis: Augusburg, 1960), 56. From this point the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order will beknown as WCCCFO.
[6] CCC 1263.
[7] CCC 1265.
[8] Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth. (New York: Dobleday, 2007), 15.
[9] WCCCFO 57.
[10] Schmaus, 148
[11] WCCCFO 23.
[12] CCC 1269.
