Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 4th Sunday of Advent.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! There are ten (10) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding the Sacrament of Baptism. The following is a reflection on article 1280.
An indelible spiritual sign, also called a ‘character,’ is imprinted on the soul by Baptism. This is the sure and certain teaching of the Church. There are two (2) difficulties associated with speaking this way: first, the soul is immaterial; and second, how can a ‘mark’ (something visible) be made on what is immaterial or invisible? Even though the rational spiritual soul of the human being is both immaterial and invisible it is real, contrary to the dictates of empiricism (which state that only that which can be touched, weighed, measured… is real). Life, locomotion, intelligence, communication and abstraction, to name a few, manifest the human soul. An analogy frequently given to describe the indelible spiritual sign given in Baptism is the impression made in wax by a signet ring which does not change the quantity of wax while leaving a mark. Confirmation and Holy Orders also impart indelible spiritual signs on those who validly receive them.
The baptismal character consecrates the baptized person to the cult of Christian religion. To be consecrated is to be set apart for God, who is all Holy (1 Peter 1:15; Revelation 4:8). The Greek word hagiazo and the Hebrew words haram and kadhesh are translated as consecrate and sanctify. There are various consecrations in the Christian religion, people are consecrated in Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders. Husbands and wives are consecrated in Marriage. Bread and wine are consecrated at the Holy Mass…
Baptism is not able to be repeated due to the lasting spiritual sign, the character, imparted by the sacrament. Saint Paul, inspired by God, instructs us in this way: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (cf. Ephesians 4:5). There are two (2) other sacraments which keep us faithful to our Baptism once received: Penance and Eucharist. These are each treated specifically in the Catechism. These three (3) sacraments, Baptism, Eucharist and Penance, are all embedded in the Lord’s Prayer: Baptism allows us to call God our Father in light of the divine adoption; the Eucharist is our supersubstantial daily bread from Heaven; our trespasses are forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance (cf. Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 11:2–4).
Saint Augustine (Contra Epist. Parmen, ii; On Baptism, 5:23), Saint Basil (Sermons on Moral and Practical Subjects, 13:5), and Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (Catechetical Lectures, 3:10, 12) among others, all understood the true teaching regarding holy Baptism as being that once it is validly conferred, Baptism can never be repeated. Saint Thomas Aquinas for his part addresses the indelible seal or character in ST III, Q. 63, A.1–6. The character is imparted or produced in the soul by the grace of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders. These teachings were then taken up by the Fathers of the Council of Trent (Session VII, canon ix).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr