The Wild Man's Journal

By Fidelis

The sacrament of Baptism is the first of the Seven Sacraments of the Church.  The fathers of the Church have called this fundamental sacrament of initiation into God’s Church, which begins the journey of the Christian life, the “Doorway to the Sacraments.”  The ancient rite of water baptism has its foundation in the apostolic age and is easily traced back to the very beginning of the life of the Church.  Baptism, like the other sacraments, is an outward visible sign instituted by Christ to give grace.  This outward sign of the sacrament (by God’s infinite power; not simply by the elements themselves) unfailingly accomplishes what it signifies[1] (i.e. the infusion of grace).  Simply speaking, baptism is that sacrament by which our soul is cleansed from original sin and all other sins, whereby we receive sanctifying grace, become temples of the Holy Ghost, children of God, heirs of heaven and members of His Holy Church.

Astonishingly, many, who nevertheless identify themselves as Christians, challenge this basic and central tenet of the Christian faith.  This is a perplexing phenomenon when considering the defining principle of baptism; namely, the acceptance and receiving of the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s suffering on the Cross and subsequent incorporation as a new member into Christ’s body the Church.  Our blessed Savior, free from any stain of sin and giving an example to all that would follow after Him, humbly submitted to the baptism of John.  Far from being in need of any spiritual cleansing Himself, it is said that when His holy flesh touched the waters of the Jordan, this element water was sanctified and made acceptable for this most holy purpose it was to have in the sacraments of the Church.  Jesus nevertheless demonstrates for us a perfect humility and obedience to the Father’s will as He allows Himself to be baptized. 

What wicked arrogance then, for sinful man to dare to dismiss our Lord’s command to be baptized as unnecessary when Christ, The Son of God and second Person of the Blessed Trinity, subjected Himself to a baptismal washing and further plainly proclaimed “Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.[2]”   The fundamental necessity of the sacrament of initiation (baptism) into the Body of Christ has always been the constant teaching of the Catholic Church down through the centuries.

At the opening of the 3^rd century, a little known presbyter of the Church of Rome and student of Irenaeus, later known to the world as the great Christian theologian St. Hippolytus would write "Perhaps someone will ask, ‘What does it conduce unto piety to be baptized?’ In the first place, that you may do what has seemed good to God; in the next place, being born again by water unto God so that you change your first birth, which was from concupiscence, and are able to attain salvation, which would otherwise be impossible.[3]” 

St. Cyril of Jerusalem writes in his famous Catechetical Lectures, “If any man does not receive baptism, he does not have salvation.  The only exception is the martyrs, who even without water will receive the kingdom.[4]”

 Saint Ambrose, the great 4^th century bishop of Milan from 374 to 397, had such a profound influence on his contemporaries that he is recognized as being primarily responsible for the conversion of Saint Augustine.  When speaking of the sacrament of baptism to the newly initiated catechumens, he states “Therefore read that the three witnesses in baptism, the water, the blood, and the Spirit, are one, for if you take away one of these, the Sacrament of Baptism does not exist. For what is water without the cross of Christ? A common element, without any sacramental effect. Nor, again, is there the Sacrament of Regeneration without water: "For except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Now, even the catechumen believes in the cross of the Lord Jesus, wherewith he too is signed; but unless he be baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, he cannot receive remission of sins nor gain the gift of spiritual grace[5].”

In closing brothers, let us all rejoice in the mercy of our beloved God and Savior Jesus Christ; who far from rendering to us what we rightly deserve, has by his infinite love gifted us with this most powerful sacrament for the salvation of our souls.  As the devil most clearly understands what is at stake in this battle, let us not for a moment turn our hearts away from this most precious gift entrusted to the Church for our salvation and the salvation of all those we know and love.  Let us not be timid in declaring the truth of this sacrament that is so crucial to the battle.  In the words of a 3^rd century priest of the church at Carthage, let us “Therefore, fly to the water, for this alone can extinguish the fire. He who will not come to the water still carries around with him the spirit of insanity for the sake of which he will not come to the living water for his own salvation[6]"