Through Baptism we become children of God and members of the Church

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Through Baptism we become children of God and
members of the Church
PIERRE, Jean Baptiste Marie St. John the Baptist
Baptising the Jews in the Desert 1743 Musee
Crozatier, Le Puy-en-Velay, France

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Compendium of the Catechism

• 252. What names are given to the first sacrament
  of initiation?
• 1213-12161276-1277
• This sacrament is primarily called Baptism
  because of the central rite with which it is
  celebrated. To baptize means to immerse in
  water. The one who is baptized is immersed into
  the death of Christ and rises with him as a new
  creature (2 Corinthians 517). This sacrament is
  also called the bath of regeneration and renewal
  in the Holy Spirit (Titus 35) and it is called
  enlightenment because the baptized becomes a
  son of light (Ephesians 58).

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Introduction

• Baptism is the sacrament of faith, gateway to
  all other sacraments, or gateway to the
  Church, as it is known as from of old

Baptism of Christ, from a Gospel, 1330 Catedral
Museo de Armenia, Julfa, Isfahan, Iran
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Main ideas
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1. The sacraments of Christian initiation

• The sacraments of Christian initiation are
• Baptism, which is the beginning of a new life in
  Christ
• Confirmation, which strengthens and completes
  that life
• and the Eucharist, which nourishes us with the
  Body and Blood of Christ in order to unite us to
  Him and to transform us until we become
  identified with Him.

CHASSERIAU, Theodore St. Francis Xavier Musée
de la Ville de Paris, Musée Carnavalet, Paris
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2. Meaning of Baptism

• Through Baptism, we died to sin and we are born
  to the new life of grace (cfr. Romans 63-11).
• Indeed, we are all born with the sin inherited
  from our first parents and thus bereft of grace
  but Christ freed us by His death and
  resurrection.
• Baptism is the sacrament that confers onto us the
  fruits of the Redemption, so that we may die to
  sin and be born to the supernatural life of
  grace.

LONGHI, Pietro The Baptism Galleria
Querini-Stampalia, Venice
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3. What is Baptism?

• "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the
  nations baptize them in the name of the Father
  and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew
  2819). He who believes and is baptized will be
  saved but he who does not believe will be
  condemned (Mark, 1616).
• Baptism is the sacrament instituted by Jesus
  Christ which makes us His disciples and which
  regenerates us to a life of grace. Baptism is the
  basis of the entire Christian life, the gateway
  to the life in the Spirit and the door that gives
  access to the other sacraments.
• This sacraments matter is the ablution with
  natural water and its form is made up of the
  words I baptize you in the name of the Father
  and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".

PATINIR, Joachim The Baptism of Christ, c.1515
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria
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4. Effects of Baptism

1. It blots out original sin.
2. It confers sanctifying grace.
3. It confers sacramental character.
4. It incorporates us into Jesus Christ.
5. It incorporates us into the Church

CARRACCI, Annibale The Baptism of Christ 1584 Oil
on canvas S. Gregorio, Bologna
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5. The necessity of Baptism

• Baptism is indispensable for salvation "I tell
  you most solemnly, unless a man is born through
  water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom
  of God " (John 35).
• When it is not possible to receive the sacrament
  of Baptism, one can reach out to the grace of
  salvation through the so called Baptism of desire
  an act of perfect love for God, or contrition
  for sins with the implicit or explicit aim of
  receiving the sacrament and also through the
  Baptism of blood or martyrdom, that is, giving up
  ones life for the sake of Christ.
• Children also need to be baptized. Therefore,
  there is a need for baptizing children as soon as
  possible.

MASACCIO The Baptism of the Neophytes 1426-27 Fres
co, 255 x 162 cm Cappella Brancacci, Santa Maria
del Carmine, Florence
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6. Who can baptize?

• Normally the duty to baptize falls upon the
  parish priest or on any other priest or deacon
  who has the permission of the parish priest. In
  case of necessity, anyone can baptize.
• Given the importance and need for Baptism, God
  has made it easy to administer this sacrament. So
  easy, that a person who is not himself baptized,
  can baptize validly as long as he has the
  intention of doing what the Church does.
• The reason is that Christ is always the one who
  baptizes, as St Augustine remarks does Peter
  baptize? It is Christ who baptizes. Does John
  baptize? It is Christ who baptizes. Does Judas
  baptize? It is Christ who baptizes.

MASTER of Saint Gilles The Baptism of
Clovis 1500 Wood National Gallery of Art,
Washington
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7. Way of administering the sacrament

• Baptism is administered by pouring natural water
  on the head while saying, with the intention of
  baptizing I baptize you in the name of the
  Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
  The ceremony of Baptism comprises many parts, but
  the essential part is the one we have mentioned
  the pouring out of water while saying the words
  I baptize you.

PERUGINO, Pietro Baptism of Christ (detail) c.
1482 Fresco Cappella Sistina, Vatican
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8. Duties imposed by Baptism

• When children are baptized it is their parents
  and their godparents who take responsibility for
  them. However, adults themselves must be
  responsible and firmly resolved to live the
  newness of life brought by Baptism.
• Their response may consist in
• making explicit acts of faith (reciting the
  Symbol of Faith, for example),
• in resolving to fulfil the law of Christ and of
  His Church,
• and in renouncing forever the devil and his
  snares, as is done in the Easter Vigil when the
  Baptismal promises are renewed.

QUERCIA, Jacopo della Baptismal font c.
1417 Marble, gilded bronze, and cloured
enamel Baptistry, Siena
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Resolutions for Christian life
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Resolutions to move forward

• Thank God for having been baptized find out your
  date of Baptism and celebrate its anniversary.
• Remember that Baptism imposes on us the duty of
  nurturing our Christian life, faithfully
  fulfilling the commandments of God and of the
  Church.