Faith of Our Fathers

New Zealand Tablet, 29 December 1921, Page 33

Faith of Our Fathers

> . [A Weekly Instruction for Young and Old.] u . BAPTISM. - .Mr First Article: Baptism Considered in Itself. r ; 1. The word baptism signifies Immersion, and points - to the manner of baptising most in use in the primitive Church, namely, by immersion. - " : “ ,We distinguish three kinds of baptism— baptism of blood or martyrdom, the baptism ,of desire, and baptism c: by water, which last named is the Sacrament we are about to consider. Any one of . these three baptisms will suffice to purify the soul from sin and to open the gates of heaven to it; but baptism by water alone is a Sacrament, and it alone imprints the baptismal character on the soul. 2. Baptism is the first and most ' necessary of the ; Sacraments, that which, by external ablution- and the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, effects the spiritual regeneration of man, and cleanses him from all his sins. , , It is called the first of. the Sacramenst, because no • person can receive any of the others without having previously been baptised the most necessary, because no man can enter the kingdom of heaven if he has not received baptism, even if deprived of it without any fault of his own. This necessity is called the necessity as. means. In the case of adults, baptism by water may be supplied for by the baptism of blood or of desire. V v. 3. The matter of baptism is real and natural water, with which the ablution is performed by pouring it on the head of the baptised person. The baptism would be equally valid if the catechumen were sprinkled with, or entirely plunged in the baptismal waters, as in the primitive ages; this is called baptism by aspersion and 'by immersion. ' ", ; A , • The form .or formula of baptism is the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, as follows : “I baptise thee in the name ' of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” These words must be pronounced by the minister at the ■ same time as the water is poured. * , . T 1^ e minister of baptism is a priest consecrated for this office; but in case of necessity any layman or woman • may baptise, even though a heretic or an infidel.* .. 4. The general effect of baptism is spiritual regenera- ; tion. Man is born a second time in this Sacrament and receives a new life, the life of the children of God; and for this reason baptism is also called the Sacrament of Regeneration. :

n\ 'mu*' I)artlcular effects of baptism are three in number: vii ) The remission of all sin,, both original and actual, and ; also of all the punishments due to sin. V+u S-- Th o in fusion of sanctifying grace, accompanied by the three theological virtues-faith, hope, and charity, as well as the other-virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost. (3) The impression of the character by which the baptised person becomes the adopted Son of God and His heir a member of Jesus Christ and of His holy Church. The character of child of God consists in resemblance to the only Son of God, our. Lord Jesus Christ. j. JL W L regar ? *° * he total remission of punishment, be remarked that baptism, does not remove the - punishments of original sin during this life. It leaves the baptised , person subjeoT to death and to all the miseries consequent upon original sin which Cor"’!! iw apti m ’ are Called penalties. .God wills that these miseries shall remain with a rr nal of ° Ur falI > and that they shall serve us ring this life as occasions of combat, merit, and triumph. IP ™. t 6 baptism we shall be totally delivered from them on the day of the glorious resurrection. V sian' tb6S f. effe i cts are signified by the sacramental • ® g . ■ The baptismal ablution, whether it be effected by -.infusion, aspersion or immersion, indicates, (1) that the , soul is interiorly cleansed from all its stains; (2) that the

Baptism administered by infidels or Verities is validt; a ® hasbeenalready said, they have the intention P f J “S whatythe Church* does, , Iris true that heretics : returning, to Catholicism are' often rebaptised, but the . r\ di r a .° nly; because ’ generally speaking;: H d^u i !i Whet J h . ei : the convert was baptised in his former :; - '^ d r th tbe . conditions of matter «d form necessary for

baptised person is born again and rises to a new life, : like to that of Jesus Christ after His resurrection, v The waters of baptism, -into which the baptised are supposed to go down, and from which they emerge and reappear to light, represent a two-fold grave and a two-fold resurrection: (1) the tomb of our Lord Jesus Christy who went down , into it in the most pitiable, state, and came out from it -in-a glorious state, rising again to an entirely> new life (2) the mystical grave of the old man, the man of sin, who disappears there to give place to the new man, formed to the likeness of Christ, rising from the blessed waters regenerated and adorned with graces and virtues. (3) The' ablution indicates, moreover, that baptism gives the grace to lead a Christian life and to subdue the passions; for as water refreshes the body, so does the grace of baptism moderate the heat of concupiscence, and help the'baptised to keep the rebellious flesh under submission to the spirit. (4) Lastly, the sacred rite indicates that the person baptised becomes a child of God, and receives the character of divine adoption. For the baptismal regeneration is effected m the name of the Blessed Trinity, which shows that the Three Divine Persons-that is, God Himself, by the action o His minister confer a new life on their creature, and stamp him with the august character of child by adoption. 7. It was fitting that this great Sacrament of the New Law should have been prefigured .in the Old. Among the many types in which we recognise it are the Ark of Noah* the waters of the Red Sea, in which the Egyptians found their grave and the Israelites their salvation the waters of the Jordan, into which Naaman was plunged, covered with leprosy, and from which he stepped forth with skin as pure and as clean as that of a child; circumcision, which marked the Israelites with the sacred character of the children of Abraham. We may see in all these mysterious tacts a foreshadowing of the salutary ablution of baptism and its effects on the soul. But none of the above figures approach the reality so closely as did the baptism of St. John the Baptist. His baptism of penance was not the Sacrament of the New Law, but it was the most striking image of it, and above all when our Lord Jesus Himself was baptised. Then the heavens opened, the Holy Ghost descended in the form of a dove, and the voice of the Heavenly Father was heard proclaiming, -This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

. . The facts represent in the most lively manner what takes place visibly, invisibly at the baptism instituted by Jesus Christ. /- - “ ' . •

8. It was in receiving baptism at the hands of St. John that Jesus Christ preluded the institution of the baptism of the New Law. He then, say the Fathers, by contact with His divine flesh, communicated to the waters the virtue to sanctify our souls; and shortly after that time He instituted His Sacrament. . This at least is the opinion of the Doctors of the Church, founded on the Gospel, in which we see our Lord administering baptism by the hands of His disciples, whilst St. John the Baptist was yet living. It was not, however, till after His resurrection that the Saviour, solemnly promulgated the law of baptism and extended it to 'the whole world. “Go,” said He to His Apostles; “teach ye all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. He that believeth and-is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned” (Matthew and Mark, last chapters). . - V

Indian Mission Stamp Society cj? To Stamp Collectors.—Write to-day for our approval sheets of Indian and Foreign Stamps; Lowest Prices. New Zealand Agent : Bert Gallien; N.E. Valley, Dunedin. % A To Stamp "Collectors—l have received a large assortment of Indian, Indian States, Service & Foreign stamps from Father Westropp. These are all on approved sheet sets, and in packets, which • I will send out on approval anywhere. - All proceeds are sent to the Mission. A fine chance to get good stamps at a Ibw price. ~j> vvv r V Kindly continue, to send me all : the cancelled stamps you can. All stamps are of great use to the Missions. : • Your parcels- will be acknowledged in due' course in these columns.;- ‘ /■; 5-;: ;• ' ' New Zealand agent - Bert Gallien, ; -V North-east Vallefc Dunedin.