What is the Sacrament of Baptism?
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- Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life. When we receive the Sacrament of Baptism, we are cleansed of original sin and we are adopted as children of God; incorporated into His family as sisters and brothers of Jesus! (See Romans 6:3-5, 1 Pet. 3:21, Mat. 3:17, CCC 1213)
- “Baptize” in the New Testament means to plunge or immerse, in such a way that the thing being immersed is permanently altered. Being covered with water symbolizes that we are being spiritually buried with Jesus in His death, and the rising up symbolizes that we will thus one day share in His resurrection from the dead. When we are born from our mothers as a baby, we are born as children of our earthly parents. When we rise in Baptism we are born again of the Spirit, as children of our Heavenly Father. (See John 3:3-5, 1 Cor. 15:12, 20)
- Being “born of the Spirit” means that we have received the Holy Spirit and are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We are made a new creation, cleansed of the original sin which entered the world when Adam and Eve failed to trust God and caused separation between them. This cleansing is made possible because Jesus--who became the new Adam by taking on human flesh and creating a link to the Divine in his very Self--obeyed God where Adam and disobeyed. This is what St Paul means when he says we have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (See John 3:6, 1 Cor. 6:11)
- The fall of our first brother, Adam, also marred our human nature. In the adoption we receive in Baptism, we begin to share in the promise of God to give us new hearts--as members of His Body--and make us partakers in the Divine nature! (See 1 Cor 15:21-22, Acts 2:39, 2 Pet. 1:3-4)
- Not only do we receive adoption and rebirth, but as St. Peter preached, God also gives us forgiveness of sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (See, Acts 2:37-38)
- Being baptized means becoming a child of God; so, before the priest baptizes someone, he asks them to profess their faith in Jesus, to reject Satan, and make a commitment to turn away from sin so that they can love God our Father fully. The person being baptized (or the godparents, if the person is too young to speak) listens carefully as he asks each question, then proudly and boldly proclaims: “I do.” (See Mark 16:16, CCC 1237)
- When we are baptized, the priest baptizes us “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This is a very significant element of the baptism rite because we receive the very Name of God onto ourselves. We must vigilantly strive never to bear that name in vain which has been placed upon us in baptism. (See Mat. 28:19-20, Ex. 20:7, 2 Tim 2:19-22)
- Baptism is not a mere symbol or rite of passage, it is a tangible way for us to experience the deep, profound Grace of being saved from sin and death. We who believe are called to receive Baptism without delay. Not only are we desperately in need of all of these gifts, but we are now called on a mission to share with the world the Gospel we have received, telling them to believe and be baptized as well! This is not a task we can complete without the Grace God gives us in Baptism. (See Mark 16:15, Acts 22:15-16)
