Major Sacramental Prayer

Analysis of a Major Sacramental Prayer - Option 1: Blessing and Invocation of God over Baptismal Water (Rite of Baptism for One Child)

• Identify the structure of the prayer
The Blessing and Invocation of God over Baptismal Water evokes the history of baptism. The sacred scripture of the Bible is the etymology of the prayer, as it accentuates the purpose; it illustrates the new birth and death the newly baptized are involved in. The prayer is structured in stanzas of four sections. The first section makes reference to God’s power and amplifies the faithful’s gratitude to God’s grace that is received, the second section relates to the Old Testament and portrays the power and role of water that baptised and immersed the evil to reveal the virtuous

world, the third section relates to the New Testament, making reference to Jesus Christ’s baptism, the prayer recalls Jesus’ passion, which symbolises death and new life and his teachings and direction to continue to baptise all nations. The fourth and final section, illustrates gratitude and a plea to cleanse the faithful and bless the past and present to rise with Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit, receiving salvation to enter the Kingdom of God. The prayer embraces the churches solemn commemoration of the great events in salvation history that already prefigured the mystery of Baptism.

• Identify the purpose of the different sections of the prayer (previously identified in the structure)
With references to specific and prominent theological themes, each section reveals a different mystery of Jesus and accentuates the prominence of the history of God’s relationship with the world and the people.

The power of water, a meek and gracious force, as illustrated in the Bible is the source of life and fruitfulness. The prayer has different sections to articulate the overall purpose of baptism, beginning with gratitude and recognition of God’s omnipresence, the prayer then references from the Old Testament, as the church has seen in Noah’s ark a prefiguring of salvation by Baptism. As the water of baptism gives new life, the crossing of the Red Sea, the liberation of Israel from the slavery of Egypt, proclaims the liberation wrought by baptism. The final reference to the Old Testament is prefigured in the crossing of the Jordan River by which the people of God received the gift of the land promised to Abraham’s descendants, an image of eternal life. All the Old Covenants prefiguration’s find their fulfilment in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ begins his public life after being baptised by St. John the Baptist in the river of Jordan. After his resurrection Christ gives this mission to his apostles: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." To fulfil all righteousness, Jesus’ submissive baptism by John the Baptist, is a gesture of

manifestation of his self-emptying. The prayer recalls the Holy Spirit and the power of the water as it descended on Jesus Christ as a prelude of the new creation, and God revealed Jesus as his “beloved Son”. Jesus Christ opened to all the fountain of baptism, as he spoke of His passion, which He was about to suffer, he did as a baptised. The prayer makes reference to Jesus’ crucifixion, as the blood and water that flowed from the pierced side of the Jesus are types of Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacraments of new life. This gives the faithful the possibility "to be born of water and the Spirit" in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Each section’s purpose relates strongly back to history between God and man. To fulfil the full significance and power of baptism, the prayer references the essence of baptism and the meaning to be baptism, through the sacred scripture as we hope to achieve the blessing of God in the sacrament of baptism. Hence baptism is a bath of water in which the "imperishable seed" of the Word of God produces its life-giving effect.

• Identify the prayer’s key theological themes (what it says about God, what is says about human beings, what it says about the relationship between God and human beings)
The prayer has many key theological themes, referencing the Bible explicitly.

The prayer evokes the many theological events about the relationship between God and man, and the omnipresence and power God encompasses. The prayer reveals the prefiguration of the sacrament of baptism and how the power and purpose of water, created by God, has through theological history and its relationship with present faithful. The sign of the cross, on the threshold of the celebration, marks with the imprint of Christ the one who is going to belong to him and signifies the grace of the redemption Christ won for man by his cross. The different effects of Baptism are signified by the perceptible elements of the sacramental rite. Immersion in water symbolizes not only death and purification, but also regeneration and renewal. Thus the two principal effects are purification from sins and new birth in the Holy

Spirit.

• Identify the prayer’s scriptural reference
The prayer references the sacred scripture within each section, as it serves as the basis for the purpose of each section and the overall prayer within the sacrament of baptism. The Blessing and Invocation of God over Baptismal Water evokes the history of baptism. The sacred scripture of the Bible is the etymology of the prayer. The prayers first scriptural reference is Genesis 1 (NIV) The Beginning. This references within the prayer symbolizes the gracious and life, fruitful effects of water through God. God displays further the power of water and its effect on the world in Genesis 5:32-10:1 (NIV), Wickedness in the World, Noah and his ark and the great flood which conveys the death and new-life. The escape of Moses and the Israelites from Egypt, Exodus 14 (NIV), is another reference made within the prayer again displaying the powerful presence God’s water has in cleansing the evil from the world by immersion. The prayer also references the New Testament, specifically the life of Jesus Christ, as it connects his life, death and crucifixion to the baptism that is celebrated, as it is believed to give salvation. Matthew 3:13-17 (NIV) The Baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the power of the water as it descended on Jesus Christ are a prelude of the new creation. Matthew 27:32-56 (NIV) The Crucifixion of Jesus, Jesus’ crucifixion, as the blood and water that flowed from the pierced side of the Jesus are types of Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacraments of new life. The last scriptural reference, Matthew 28:19 (NIV) Jesus tells his disciples to baptize all nations, furthering the power of God through man.

• Articulate what the prayer communicates about the sacrament.
The prayer is a prefiguration of the sacrament of baptism, illustrating the Biblical significance the notion of immersion has on the faithful. It gives a brief view of the historical chronicle of not only the sacrament of baptism, but also the powerful effects of water and immersion. Within the sacrament of baptism, the immersion in water and pledge to God are the essence to be freed from original sin, and new life. The prayer illustrates the power of water through history, as the prayer makes references to specific events throughout biblical history, it gives the present faithful a connection to the effects of water and the notion of new life within God’s family.
• Explain how the prayer functions within the overall context of the sacramental rite (study the rite as a whole and comment how the prayer functions within the rite – why is it important?)

• Identify and explain what outcomes the prayer achieves for the individual recipient of the sacrament and identify and explain what outcomes the prayer achieves for the Christian community overall.
Christian initiation is accomplished by means of the sacraments, which establish the foundations of Christian life. In the Old Covenant Baptism was pre-figured in various ways; water, seen as source of life and of death. Baptism takes away original sin, all personal sins and all punishment due to sin. It makes the baptized person a participant in the divine life of the Trinity through sanctifying grace, the grace of justification, which incorporates one into Christ and into his Church. It gives one a share in the priesthood of Christ and provides the basis for communion with all Christians. It bestows the theological virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. A baptized person belongs forever to Christ. He is marked with the indelible seal of Christ.