Baptism: Lifelong Formative Element
It may be difficult for some Catholics to widen their spiritual horizons in order to allow baptism to be a formative element in their lives. For the past thousand years the emphasis in sacramental theology and in spirituality has been on the Eucharist in itself. Such a focus, with no advertence to the Eucharist's relationship to baptismal initiation, has concentrated attention almost exclusively on the Real Presence, particularly in terms of the reserved sacrament. Such a concentration has reinforced the notion that the Eucharist is an object of individual piety. Prior to the Middle Ages the emphasis, in theology and spirituality, was on baptism -- but that baptism included the Eucharist. Recognizing once again that Eucharist fits into the broader context of baptismal initiation, Christians will realize that the former is a celebration of a community as well as of each individual member's commitment to Christ. When Christians never reflect upon baptism's connection to Eucharist, both suffer. For it is in baptism that passage into Christ, dying and rising with him (and the heart of the Eucharist is the commemoration of Jesus' dying and rising for us), is personally experienced by members of the church. Thus, every Eucharist becomes a celebration of our baptismal profession of faith and our promise to walk continually in the light of Christ. The yearly commemoration of Christ's passover at the Easter vigil becomes the moment for recalling our own passover; the vigil is the baptismal birthday par excellence, no matter when baptism was actually celebrated.
Secondly, it may be objected that most Catholics are baptized as infants and thus never experience the sacrament personally nor the connection of baptism with confirmation and Eucharist. Precisely because of this practice, the history of Christian initiation and the contemporary rites for the Christian initiation of adults are so important. Neither allows us to forget the essential connection of the sacraments of initiation with each other. Consequently, even though these sacraments are celebrated separately, we are not allowed to ignore the relationship of baptism to confirmation and Eucharist. Furthermore, even though most Catholics may not remember their baptism, they continue to witness baptism in the community, celebrate the Eucharist, and keep the yearly Easter vigil. All of these are occasions for personally reviewing their own baptism. The more that they sense the relationship of baptism to the Eucharist, the more will members of the Christian community enrich and deepen their collective and individual spirituality.
Finally, a consideration of spirituality as baptismal reminds us that the body is not to be ignored. Sacraments are actions of human beings. Baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist involve all the senses: washing, anointing, the smell of perfumed oils, tasting food and drink, speaking words of commitment, feeling the touch of others. Baptismal spirituality is a robust spirituality, never allowing us to be tempted to discount the place of the body in the scheme of salvation.
The sacraments of initiation conclude the catechumenal journey to full membership in the body of Christ. They inaugurate the journey of the Christian, within the community called church, to the Father who calls each man and woman to salvation through Jesus Christ. The journey to God is lived in the power of baptism, the womb of the church and the tomb of Christ: "May all who are buried with Christ in the death of baptism rise also with him to newness of life" (RCIA 215; R 97).
This article was first published by Spirituality Today.
Father Frank Quinn, O.P., spent most of his priestly life teaching liturgy at the Dominican Novitiate in Winona, Minnesota and later at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in Dubuque, Iowa and currently in Saint Louis, Missouri. He also wrote liturgical music and served as a consultant to Bishops charged with the international translation of English liturgical texts.
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