Baptism
An Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You in the Blessed Sacrament, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Collect:
Almighty, eternal God, when the Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism in the Jordan, You revealed Him as Your own beloved Son. Keep us, Your children born of water and the Spirit, faithful to our calling. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
Amen.
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
What is Baptism? 'Baptism' from Greek meaning to 'immerse'.
What does this Sacrament represent? The person dying, being buried and resurrecting with Christ as a 'new creature.'
How did the public life of Jesus begin? With His Baptism on the shore of the Jordan River.
How did it end? With Jesus commanding the Apostles to "go and make disciples of all, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
What happens as soon as one is baptized? He/she is received into the Body of Christ, being united to Jesus and through faith in Jesus receives a new heart and spirit of the seed of God, this qualifying him as a member the invisible family of the people of God.
What is expected of one having been baptized in Christ? The new member of the Body of Christ is expected to become actively involved in the Church.
What is Baptism of Desire? Some people, after having lived a good life, die while being ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and His Church. In such cases, it can be presumed that they have received Baptism of this form.
What is Baptism of Blood? Where someone endures death for the sake of the faith without having received the Sacrament of Baptism, one is baptized by death for and with Christ.
What about unbaptized infants? In situations where infants die without being baptized, the Church can only rely on the mercy of God to invite them in His Kingdom.
Who can Baptize in an emergency? In the case of an emergency, anyone can baptize another person as long as one has the intention of doing so and says the proper words.
Symbols:
Water: symbol of The Holy Spirit and of Cleansing.
Oil: anointing as part of CHRIST which means ‘the anointed one’
White Garment: putting on Christ.
Easter candle: the light of Christ.
Meaning of Baptism by Immersion:
To fully participate in the life of faith, we immerse ourselves in the Mystery of Christ.
Stage1: In our youth we think we are invincible and do not rely on anything, even on God.
Stage2: As we mature, we realize that we made too many mistakes. At this stage we start to see the hand of God.
Stage3: This is the stage of John the Baptist. We realize we need God’s help. John was telling people to repent and be cleansed from their sins. He was immersing people in the waters of the Jordan so that they might symbolically be cleansed. (Even Buddhists and Muslims cleanse themselves at fonts before entering their temples.)
Stage4: The stage of Jesus. He has cleansed us and we realize that God wants us to be involved. We immerse ourselves in the waters of Baptism in its fullness and thus we abandon ourselves totally to God.
Some points on Baptism
Questions on Jesus’ Baptism:
1. Why did Jesus submit Himself to be baptized if He is God?
2. When did Jesus first reveal Himself to those around Him?
3. What was heard and seen?
4. Who was there?
5. How and where did all this happen?
Questions about My baptism:
1. Why do I want to be baptized?
2. What happens when I am baptized?
3. How will I be baptized?
4. How was it done long ago?
5. Who will be around me?
6. What is used in the ceremony and why?
7. Why are infants baptized?
8. What is Original sin? Why do I have it?
Catechism of the Church - Baptism.
1275 Christian initiation is accomplished by three sacraments together: Baptism which is the beginning of new life; Confirmation which is its strengthening; and the Eucharist which nourishes the disciple with Christ's Body and Blood for his transformation in Christ.
1276 "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" (Mt 28:19-20).
1277 Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord's will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism.
1278 The essential rite of Baptism consists in immersing the candidate in water or pouring water on his head, while pronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
1279 The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich reality that includes forgiveness of original sin and all personal sins, birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the person baptized is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made a sharer in the priesthood of Christ.
1280 Baptism imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual sign, the character, which consecrates the baptized person for Christian worship. Because of the character Baptism cannot be repeated (cf. DS 1609 and DS 1624).
1281 Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptized (cf. LG 16).
1282 Since the earliest times, Baptism has been administered to children, for it is a grace and a gift of God that does not presuppose any human merit; children are baptized in the faith of the Church. Entry into Christian life gives access to true freedom.
1283 With respect to children who have died without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church invites us to trust in God's mercy and to pray for their salvation.
1284 In case of necessity, any person can baptize provided that he have the intention of doing that which the Church does and provided that he pours water on the candidate's head while saying: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."