By DON FIER
The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River marked a turning-point in His life. Having lived in a hidden manner in obedience to Mary and Joseph for thirty years (see Luke 2:51), our Lord now began His public ministry by freely submitting to the penitential baptism of St. John the Baptist. Although unblemished by sin and in no need of repentance, He did so in order to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15).
Just as the incarnate Son of God submitted to circumcision, entering into the covenant established by God with Abraham and all his descendants (see Luke 2:21), and just as He was consecrated to God in the Temple in accordance with Mosaic Law (see Luke 2:23), He insisted that John baptize Him as an example for us. Despite John’s hesitancy, Jesus prevailed upon him so as to affirm His humanity and associate Himself with the condition of mankind.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), as summarized by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, lists several lessons that Christ taught us by submitting to baptism: the primacy of the sacrament, since Jesus began His public ministry by being baptized and ended it by commissioning His disciples to baptize others; the necessity of “self-emptying” for each of us in imitation of Christ, who submitted Himself to baptism as if He were a sinner; and that we have been redeemed by the cross of Christ since the efficacy of Baptism comes from His death on the cross.
Ever since the day of Pentecost, the Sacrament of Baptism has been the Church’s door through which we are purified, justified, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit (cf. The Faith, pp. 111-112).
The Catechism now embarks on an exposition of how the Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated, beginning with a brief five-paragraph summary that encapsulates what takes place during the process of Christian initiation and how it has changed and evolved over the course of the Church’s history.
“This journey,” says the Catechism, “can be covered rapidly or slowly, but certain initial essential elements will always have to be present: proclamation of the Word, acceptance of the Gospel entailing conversion, profession of faith, Baptism itself, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and admission to Eucharistic communion” (CCC, n. 1229).
As recently discussed in this series (see volume 148, n. 42; October 22, 2015), there are significant differences between Latin and Eastern pastoral practices for the celebration of the rites of Christian initiation for infants (i.e., all three sacraments — Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist — are received by infants in the Eastern Church). Since Vatican II’s restoration of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), however, Christian initiation of adults in both traditions “begins with their entry into the catechumenate and reaches its culmination in the single celebration of the three sacraments of initiation” (CCC, n. 1233). Of course, “by its very nature infant Baptism requires a post-baptismal catechumenate” (CCC, n. 1231).
The mystagogy of the baptismal celebration is now examined, in which the meaning of the external signs, gestures, and words of the Church’s baptismal rite are explained. To begin this discussion, it would be good to first look at the etymology of the word “mystagogy.” It is connected to the Greek term mysterion, which “was translated into Latin by two terms: mysterium and sacramentum” (CCC, n. 774). (Note: See volume 147, N. 29; July 17, 2014 for a fuller explanation.)
More precisely, mystagogy can be defined as “a liturgical catechesis which aims to initiate people into the mystery of Christ. In a more specific sense, [it is] the catechetical period following immediately after the reception of Baptism by adults” (CCC, Glossary). Expressed in different terms, mystagogical catechesis proceeds from the “visible to the invisible, from the sign to the thing signified, from the ‘sacraments’ to the ‘mysteries’ ” (CCC, n. 1075).
As stated so simply, but accurately by Christoph Cardinal Schönborn in Living the Catechism of the Catholic Church — The Sacraments (LC-S): “The rite of baptism speaks for itself. The individual words and gestures are so expressive that they do not really need to be explained at great length” (p. 62).
As is the case for each of the seven sacraments, the general principle that the sacramental rite signifies what it effects is applicable: The inward effect that mysteriously takes place on the person’s soul is displayed by the outward signs. This is especially evident when the rite is celebrated clearly, reverently, and without haste.
Whenever possible, the rite of Baptism should begin “at the church door with giving of the name and the request for baptism, for grace, and for eternal life” (LC-S, p. 62).
The importance of a name was emphasized by Pope St. John Paul II in a homily he gave at Westminster Cathedral in London on May 28, 1982:
“In Baptism we are given a name — we call it our Christian name. In the tradition of the Church it is a saint’s name, a name of one of the heroes among Christ’s followers — an apostle, a martyr, a religious founder, like St. Benedict, whose monks founded Westminster Abbey nearby, where your sovereigns are crowned. Taking such names reminds us again that we are being drawn into the Communion of Saints, and at the same time that great models of Christian living are set before us.”
Indeed, the giving of a saint’s name is expressive of the hope that the person being baptized would imitate the saint’s virtue.
In the case of infant Baptism, what does it mean when parents respond “Baptism” in answer to the question: “What do you ask of God’s Church?” It is not light matter, for they are assuming responsibility for a most solemn obligation: to raise and train their child in the practice of the Catholic faith. As such, their promise should be given not only freely and voluntarily, but with full understanding. Practically speaking, this implies that they themselves must be seriously practicing the faith in their day-to-day lives.
The gravity which the Church places on the Catholic parents’ understanding of this duty is evident in the 1983 Code of Canon Law: “For an infant to be baptized licitly…there must be a founded hope that the infant will be brought up in the Catholic religion; if such hope is altogether lacking, the baptism is to be delayed according to the prescripts of particular law after the parents have been advised about the reason” (canon 868 § 1, 2°).
As such, pastors of parishes have the responsibility of explaining to parents that asking for the Baptism of their child involves the grave responsibility of a Christian upbringing, for if the parents are not practicing their faith, it is most likely the child will imitate their behavior as they physically mature. Likewise, godparents are asked for their assent that they will assist the parents in the child’s Christian upbringing.
The Sign of the Cross, which “marks with the imprint of Christ the one who is going to belong to him and signifies the grace of the redemption Christ won for us by his cross” (CCC, n. 1235) is traced onto the forehead of the person being baptized, first by the celebrant and then the parents and godparents. As soon as possible, the baptized child should be taught to frequently repeat this most efficacious gesture, to “begin his day, his prayers, and his activities with the Sign of the Cross . . . [which] strengthens us in temptations and difficulties” (CCC, n. 2157).
The next step in the Church’s baptismal rite is the proclamation of the Word, which “enlightens the candidates and the assembly with the revealed truth and elicits the response of faith, which is inseparable from Baptism” (CCC, n. 1236). Baptism is known as the “sacrament of faith,” the theological virtue enabling one to willingly accept with his mind and heart whatever has been revealed by Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. “Thus prepared, he is able to confess the faith of the Church, to which he will be ‘entrusted’ by Baptism” (CCC, n. 1237).
The proclamation of the Word is followed by the celebrant’s homily. Ideally, his words will not only illuminate the message contained in the readings, but offer encouragement to the parents and godparents that will inspire them to faithfully fulfill the responsibilities that arise from the sacrament soon to be conferred. After prayers of petition are offered, the Litany of the Saints is recited — the intercessory help of those holy men and women who are members of the Church Triumphant is invoked for the one to be baptized.
Next, “in a simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism” (CCC, n. 1673). This is most fitting “since Baptism signifies liberation from sin and from its instigator the devil” (CCC, n. 1237). The candidate, who has come into this world with original sin on his soul, is also anointed with the oil of catechumens (which has been blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday). The celebrant explicitly renounces and casts out Satan, thus preparing the candidate to receive Christ’s light.
Following the blessing of baptismal water, the essential rite of the sacrament commences — the point at which we will pick up next week.
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(Don Fier serves on the board of directors for The Catholic Servant, a Minneapolis-based monthly publication. He and his wife are the parents of seven children. Fier is a 2009 graduate of Ave Maria University’s Institute for Pastoral Theology. He is doing research for writing a definitive biography of Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
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