Wednesday, June 27, 2012
259. What is required of one who is to be baptized?
(Comp
259) Everyone who is to be baptized is required to make a profession of faith.
This is done personally in the case of an adult or by the parents and by the
Church in the case of infants. Also the godfather or the godmother and the
whole ecclesial community share the responsibility for baptismal preparation
(catechumenate) as well as for the development and safeguarding of the faith
and grace given at baptism.
“In
brief”
(CCC
1246) "Every person not yet baptized and only such a person is able to be
baptized" (CIC,
can. 864; cf. CCEO, can. 679).
To deepen and
explain
(CCC
1253) Baptism is the
sacrament of faith (Cf. Mk 16:16). But faith needs the community of believers.
It is only within the faith of the Church that each of the faithful can
believe. The faith required for Baptism is not a perfect and mature faith, but
a beginning that is called to develop. The catechumen or the godparent is
asked: "What do you ask of God's Church?" the response is: "Faith!"
(CCC 1254) For all the baptized, children or
adults, faith must grow after
Baptism. For this reason the Church celebrates each year at the Easter Vigil
the renewal of baptismal promises. Preparation for Baptism leads only to the
threshold of new life. Baptism is the source of that new life in Christ from
which the entire Christian life springs forth.
On reflection
(CCC
1255) For the grace of
Baptism to unfold, the parents' help is important. So too is the role of the godfather and godmother, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help the
newly baptized - child or adult - on the
road of Christian life (Cf. CIC, cann. 872-874). Their task is a truly
ecclesial function (officium) (Cf. SC
67). The whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for the development
and safeguarding of the grace given at Baptism. (CCC 168) It is the Church that
believes first, and so bears, nourishes and sustains my faith. Everywhere, it
is the Church that first confesses the Lord: "Throughout the world the
holy Church acclaims you", as we sing in the hymn Te Deum; with her and in her, we are won over and brought to
confess: "I believe", "We believe". It is through the
Church that we receive faith and new life in Christ by Baptism. In the Rituale Romanum, the minister of Baptism
asks the catechumen: "What do you ask of God's Church?" and the
answer is: "Faith." "What does faith offer you?"
"Eternal life" (Roman Ritual,
Rite of baptism of adults).
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