UNIT 2: THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION CHAPTER 3 – THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

CHRISTIAN INITIATION A REALIGNMENT A TRANSFORMATION OF SOMETHING THAT ALREADY EXISTS GOD INVITES US TO BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM “THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION – BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION AND THE EUCHARIST – LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF EVERY CHRISTIAN LIFE” (CCC 1212) BAPTISM INCORPORATES US INTO CHRIST CONFIRMATION FILLS US WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT EUCHARIST BRINGS ETERNAL LIFE

“BECAUSE JESUS IS THE PRIMORDIAL SACRAMENT AND THE CHURCH IS THE FOUNDATIONAL SACRAMENT, IT FOLLOWS THAT THE CHURCH’S SEVEN SACRAMENTS HAVE TO BE ROOTED IN JESUS AND GROUNDED IN THE CHURCH” (PG. 64)

BAPTISM 6 QUESTIONS ARE ASKED OF THE PARENTS & GODPARENTS IN THE CASE OF ADULT BAPTISM THE CATECHUMENS ARE ASKED THE “POMPA DIABOLI” – THE PERMISSIVENESS, CORRUPTION OF JOY, LOVE OF DECEIT AND FRAUD AND PERVERSION OF THE TRUE MEANING OF LIFE ANTI-CULTURE IN THE MODERN ERA OF THE CHURCH THE REJECTION OF SIN, EVIL & SATAN IS REALLY A CONDEMNATION OF THE PREVALENT CULTURE WE LIVE IN TODAY AND ITS APPARENT PROMISES OF JOY, SATISFACTION AND HAPPINESS. “THE SINFULNESS IN OUR OWN PAGAN WORLD REARS ITSELF IN ACTIONS LIKE SEXUAL PROMISCUITY, CRUELTY, VIOLENCE, DRUG ABUSE, ATHEISM AND SO MUCH MORE.” (PG. 68)

SAYING “YES!” TO GOD THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT “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.” (CCC 1213)

THE PLUNGING OF THE CATECHUMENS INTO WATER REPRESENTS BEING BURIED WITH CHRIST; WHEN THEY EMERGE THEY RISE UP WITH CHRIST AS A “NEW CREATURE” ROMANS 6:3-4 (PG. 69) – STUDENT READ THIS! AKA: THE WASHING OF REGENERATION RENEWAL BY THE HOLY SPIRIT A PERSON IS PURIFIED, JUSTIFIED & SANCTIFIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

BAPTISM PREFIGURED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WATER IS LIFE GIVING AND LIFE TAKING WATER IS POWERFUL CIVILIZATIONS DEVELOPED AROUND FRESH WATER IN THE OT GOD SWEEPS OVER THE WATERS AND BRINGS FORTH LIFE ALL LIFE NEEDS WATER TO EXIST NOAH AND THE FLOOD STORY THERE IS SALVATION THROUGH WATER NOAH AND HIS FAMILY REPRESENT HUMANITY THE STORY IS NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY!

MATTHEW 28:19-20 “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, UNTIL THE END OF THE AGE.”

BAPTISM OF BLOOD THE BAPTISM OF MARTYRS THOSE WHO DIED FOR THEIR FAITH BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO BE BAPTIZED BY WATER BAPTISM OF DESIRE CATECHUMENS WHO DIE A NATURAL DEATH BEFORE BEING BAPTIZED BY WATER. CHILDREN WHO DIE WITHOUT BAPTISM THEY ARE ENTRUSTED TO THE MERCY OF GOD

THE GRACE OF BAPTISM 1. FORGIVENESS OF SIN ORIGINAL SIN THE SIN OF ADAM & EVE IS THAT THEY PREFER THEIR WAY OVER THE WAY OF GOD HARMONY WITH CREATION WAS BROKEN DEATH ENTERED THE WORLD PERSONAL SIN SINS THAT ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITY WE KNOWINGLY AND WILLINGLY COMMITTED THESE SINS 2. BECOMING A “NEW CREATURE” SHARING IN THE DIVINE LIFE WE BECOME THE BEARERS OF CHRIST

“AS A NEW CREATION, BAPTIZED PEOPLE RECEIVE SANCTIFYING GRACE, THE GRACE OF JUSTIFICATION. THIS REFERS TO NOT ONLY FREEDOM FROM SIN BUT ALSO BEING MADE HOLY AND NEW THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.” (PG. 81) THIS GRACE: †ENABLES US TO BELIEVE IN GOD †GIVES US THE POWER LIFE AND ACT UNDER THE HOLY SPIRIT †ALLOWS US TO GROW IN GOODNESS

THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE THE OTHER SACRAMENTS CATHOLICS MUST BE BAPTIZED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ANY OTHER SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH. THE RIGHT TO BE NOURISHED WITH THE WORD OF GOD ALL BAPTIZED CATHOLICS HAVE THE RIGHT TO HEAR THE WORLD OF GOD AND HAVE IT EXPLAINED TO THEM. THE RIGHT TO TAKE PART IN AND BE SUSTAINED “BY THE OTHER SPIRITUAL HELPS OF THE CHURCH” (CCC 1269) BAPTIZED CATHOLICS HAVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE PART IN PARISH ACTIVITIES AND TO BENEFIT SPIRITUALLY FROM RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES ETC.

UNITY WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS THE SEAL OF ETERNAL LIFE FAITH HOPE CHARITY (LOVE)