chapter 10

The Sacraments
Of Initiation

A
fter the resurrection of Jesus, all eleven candidate is given Baptism and Chrismation, followed
of Jesus’ apostles went to the Mount of by Holy Eucharist. The treatise, “Apostolic Tradition”
Olives as Jesus had instructed them to do. of St. Hippolytus (170-235) reports that Baptism,
The resurrected Jesus appeared to them Chrismation and Holy Eucharist were administered
there, speaking to them as He had before. Jesus said together.
to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given
to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, BAPTISM
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son Participation in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus
and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I We participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus
have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, and are born anew by Baptism. In Baptism, we die
until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28: 18-20). The Church and resurrect with Jesus and are given new life. St.
continues this mission entrusted to her by Jesus even Paul writes to the Romans, Or are you unaware that we
today. who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his
death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism
The Sacraments of Initiation into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
Baptism, Chrismation and Holy Eucharist are called by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of
the Sacraments of Initiation because they initiate a life. (Rom.6:3-4).
person into the mystery of the Messiah as well as into The immersion in water of the candidate for
the Church community. A person starts his Christian Baptism indicates his death together with Jesus. The
life with these sacraments and so they are called the baptismal font is seen as a symbol of the tomb. The
Sacraments of Initiation (CCC 1212). The faithful are rising up from the water denotes the resurrection
born anew by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament with Jesus.
of Chrismation and receive the food of eternal life in
the Eucharist. Thus, a person is born in the Church Sacrament of Baptism Forgives Sins
and grows in divine life. Hence in the early centuries, Baptism is a sacrament that forgives our sins. Original
these three sacraments were given together. sin and all personal sins, if any, are forgiven through
In the Eastern Churches, these three sacraments Baptism. We pray in the creed, “We believe in the
continue to be administered together today. The Baptism that absolves sins.” St. Paul teaches that “our

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Chapter 10 // The Pilgrim Church

old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might clarifies this: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your
be destroyed” (Rom.6:6). When the person receiving household will be saved” (Acts 16:31). St. Paul says, “If
Baptism answers “I do” to the question, “Do you you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe
abandon sin and the ways to sin?,” he proclaims that in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will
he has no more connection with sin. be saved” (Rom. 10:9).
In infant Baptism, the Church considers the faith
Born as Children of God of the whole Church community. That is the reason
Jesus said to Nicodemus who came to see him by why in infant Baptism, the godfather and godmother
night, “...no one can enter the kingdom of God without reply to the questions asked on behalf of the infant.
being born of water and Spirit” (Jn.3:5). The Holy Spirit The faith implanted through Baptism is primary faith
transforms us as children of God through Baptism; which should be nurtured. The faith of the baptized
the resemblance to God lost through sin is regained. should develop properly after Baptism; for this the
We are filled with divine grace and made children Church and parents should extend their help and
of God and heirs of heaven. That is why St. Ephrem cooperation. It is a duty of the Church community.
defines Baptism as a ritual to seal the children for
the kingdom of God. The fathers of the Church hence THE SACRAMENT OF CHRISMATION
qualifies the baptismal font as the uterus of the Chrismation is the sacrament that grants strength
Church that begets children for the Church. and grace of the Holy Spirit to those born anew in
the Holy Spirit and become children of God through
Incorporated into the Fellowship of the Church Baptism so that they can propagate the Gospel of
Baptism makes us organs of the mystical body of Christ and bear witness to Christ. Chrismation roots
Christ. St. Paul says, “For in the one Spirit we were all a person in the faith he received through Baptism.
baptized into one body” (1Cor. 12:13). This sacrament connects a person totally with the
Once a person receives Baptism, he becomes a Church, and he is enriched with the power of the Holy
member of the Church and thereby belongs to Jesus Spirit. The Catholic Church teaches that Chrismation
and is configured to Him. Jesus imprints an indelible is a must for the completion of the grace received
spiritual seal on him; this seal indicates that he in Baptism. This sacrament leads a person, reborn
belongs to Jesus. Even sin cannot erase this mark. through Baptism, to Christian maturity and enables
Thus Baptism is given only once in a person’s life. A him to bear witness to Jesus courageously and with
baptized person is bound to be submissive to others, the grace of the Holy Spirit.
serve others incorporating with the Church and obey
Church authorities. (CCC 1269, 1272) Jesus, Anointed by the Spirit
‘Messiah’ in the Syriac language means the ‘anointed’.
Baptism and Faith Jesus is anointed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit
Baptism is a sacrament of faith. Jesus, after His descended in the form of a dove and anointed Jesus
resurrection, entrusted His disciples with a mission, during His Baptism. Filled with the Holy Spirit and
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every in order to fulfill the salvific scheme entrusted upon
creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; Him, Jesus, with firm determination and awareness
whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mk. 16:15- of His mission, reached the synagogue in Nazareth
16). Only those who believed Jesus completely were and started His public life. The Holy Spirit empowered
given Baptism; salvation was guaranteed only to Him to execute the redemptive mission.
these believers. When the jailer asked Paul and Silas
what he had to do to be saved, the reply given by them

56 Church: The Worshipping Community

 the Holy Spirit descended in the form of tongues of
fire upon the apostles who were engrossed in prayer
and strengthened them for apostolic work.

The Disciples Filled with the Spirit

The disciples who believed in Jesus and bore witness
to Him were filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit
strengthened them to sacrifice their lives for the sake
of faith and become martyrs. An example of this was
St. Stephen. In the descriptions of Baptism given
in the Acts of the Apostles, we come across special
prayers for conferring the Holy Spirit. Peter and Paul
prayed that the Samaritans who received Baptism
should receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17). We see
in the Acts of the Apostles that when the apostles
prayed, laying hands on them, the baptized received
the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7).

Transforms Us as the Temples of the Holy Spirit

A Christian, who through Baptism participates in the
death and resurrection of Jesus and is filled with the
Holy Spirit through Chrismation, is the temple of the
Holy Spirit. St. Paul says, “Do you not know that you
are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in
you?” (1Cor. 3:16). We become children of God when

“Even before His we are led by the Spirit of God dwelling within us.

death, Jesus promised Imparts Strength to the Christian Life

Every Christian shares the Pentecostal experience

to His disciples the through Chrismation. We undertake the mission of

being witnesses to Christ through thoughts, words

Holy Spirit” and deeds and even by risking our own lives. Being
filled with the Holy Spirit, we must be ready to
Jn.14:26 proclaim this mission entrusted by the apostles until
the end of the world. It should be executed through the
Church. Our responsibility to the Church is, in reality,
the responsibility to Jesus. Chrismation grants us the
The Apostles Filled with the Spirit necessary blessings and grace to be active members
Even before His death, Jesus promised to His disciples of the Church and live in the mission with Christ.
the Holy Spirit (Jn.14:26). Jesus breathed upon them Let us receive the sacraments of Baptism,
and gave them the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22-23). On the Chrismation and the Eucharist and become firm in
day of Pentecost, they were all in one place together, faith so as to produce good fruits of faith and love.

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Chapter 10 // The Pilgrim Church

LET US READ AND MEDITATE Teachings of the Fathers of the Church

ON THE WORD OF GOD Oh! How beautiful is the womb (the font) that begot a painless
Jn. 3:1-8 birth to the children of the kingdom. Grace this womb begets,
the altar would sustain them. Their children drink no milk, but
feed on perfect bread. (St. Ephrem)
A Verse to Remember
“Amen, amen I say to you, no one can enter Let us Talk About It
the kingdom of God without being born of 1. Name the Sacraments of Initiation and explain why they
water and Spirit.” (Jn. 3:5) are referred to by this term.
2. Why did the ancient Church administer the Sacraments of
Initiation together?
Let Us Pray 3. Explain how Baptism is a sharing in the death and
O! Jesus, who granted us the favor to resurrection of Jesus.
become children of God through Baptism, 4. Explain how Chrismation leads a person born anew through
please bless us to fill ourselves with the Holy Baptism into Christian maturity.
Spirit and bear witness to the Gospel. 5. Write a short paragraph on Chrismation and the Christian life.

ACTIVITY 1: In groups of 2-3, create a chart with all

My Resolution of the rites in the sacrament of Baptism and include
I will lead a life befitting a child of God and their symbolic meanings. Present this to the class.

bear witness to love.

ACTIVITY 2: Pick one of the following passages and describe
the significance of the Holy Spirit in that particular reading:
Lk.3:22; Lk.4:1; Lk.4:18; Acts 2:3-4; Acts 4:8; Acts 5:32; Acts 6:10;
Acts 7:55; Acts 8:29,39; Acts 10:19; Acts 11:12; Acts 13:2,4.

Is there some inner logic that unites the Mass. (Youcat commentary 193) in which the child is freed from the in-
the sacraments with each other? Christ instituted the sacraments of fluence of original sin and the power
All sacraments are an encounter with the new law. There are seven: Bap- of death. (Youcat answer 197) (CCC 1250,
Christ, who is himself the original sac- tism, Confirmation (or Chrismation), 1282)
rament. There are sacraments of Ini- the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing
tiation, which introduce the recipient of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimo- Infant Baptism presupposes that
into the faith: Baptism, Confirma- ny. The seven sacraments touch all the Christian parents will raise the bap-
tion, and Eucharist. There are sacra- stages and all the important moments tized child in the faith. It is an injustice
ments of healing: Reconciliation and of Christian life: they give birth and to deprive the child of Baptism out of a
the Anointing of the Sick. And there increase, healing and mission to the mistaken liberality. One cannot deprive
are sacraments of communion and Christian’s life of faith. There is thus a a child of love so that he can later de-
mission: Matrimony and Holy Orders. certain resemblance between the stag- cide on love for himself; so too it would
(Youcat answer 193) es of natural life and the stages of the be an injustice if believing parents were
spiritual life. (CCC 1210) to deprive their child of God’s grace in
Baptism joins us with Christ. Confirma- Baptism. Just as every person is born
tion gives us his Spirit. The Eucharist Why does the Church adhere to the with the ability to speak yet must learn
unites us with him. Confession recon- practice of infant Baptism? a language, so too every person is born
ciles us with Christ. Through the Anoint- From antiquity the Church has prac- with the capacity to believe but must
ing of the Sick, Christ heals, strength- ticed infant Baptism. There is one become acquainted with the faith. At
ens, and consoles. In the sacrament of reason for this: before we decide on any rate, Baptism can never be im-
Matrimony, Christ promises his love in God, God has decided on us. Baptism posed on anyone. If someone has re-
our love and his fidelity in our fidelity. is therefore a grace, an undeserved gift ceived Baptism as a little child, he must
Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, of God, who accepts us unconditional- “ratify” it later in life—this means he
priests have the privilege of forgiving ly. Believing parents who want what is must say Yes to it, so that it becomes
sins and celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of best for their child want Baptism also, fruitful. (Youcat commentary 197)

58 Church: The Worshipping Community