THE P RTAL
March 2013 Page 10
The A - Z of the Catholic Faith
by Fr Stephen Wang
B is for …
Baptism
Baptism is the first sacrament . It is the gateway to salvation for those who have heard the Gospel and are free to respond .
Through baptism we are united with Christ in his death and resurrection . We share in the divine life of the Holy Trinity through the gift of the Holy Spirit . We are set free from original sin and our personal sins are forgiven . We are made children of God and brought into his family , the Church .
Through baptism we discover our fundamental vocation , which is to share in the priesthood of Christ – offering our lives to God in prayer and worship , and bringing God ’ s love to the world .
Baptism is a sacrament of repentance and faith . When infants are baptised , they depend on the faith of their parents , their godparents , and of the whole Church ; and they are given the opportunity to grow into that faith in a personal way .
The water of baptism symbolises cleansing , healing and refreshment . It also reminds us of death , and of the womb-like waters of re-birth .
The normal minister of baptism is a bishop , priest or deacon ; but in an emergency anyone can baptise , using water and the Trinitarian formula . The baptismal name symbolises the person ’ s new Christian identity and the ‘ seal ’ of baptism that marks them as belonging to Christ forever .
Bible
Sacred Scripture , commonly called the Bible , is the living Word of God handed down to us in written form . Its human authors , writing at different times for different reasons , were inspired by the Holy Spirit , so that we recognise God himself to be the author of Sacred Scripture .
The Bible is utterly trustworthy , not because every single historical or scientific fact is correct or consistent (‘ fundamentalism ’), but because it teaches without error the truths we need for our salvation (‘ inerrancy ’).
The Bible is ‘ the book of the Church ’. First , because it shows God gathering his Chosen People together in the Old Testament and forming the Christian Church in the New Testament . Second , because our certainty about the Canon of Scripture comes from the Apostolic Tradition and from the Church . Without the authority of the Catholic Church , in the past and in the present , we would not know which texts genuinely belong on the list ( the ‘ Canon ’) of sacred writings .
There are 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament . The four Gospels ( Matthew , Mark , Luke and John ) have a special place because they are the main witness to the life and teaching of Jesus .
Scripture builds up our faith and nourishes our spiritual life . It is the soul of theology and preaching . To understand it properly , we need to appreciate the unity of the whole Bible and how it relates to the living Tradition of the Church ; we need to be guided by the Holy Spirit and by the teaching of the Catholic Church .
Bishops
The Catholic bishops , in each generation , take the place of the Apostles and continue their ministry .
A bishop is one who has received the fullness of the sacrament of ordination . He represents Jesus Christ for us by standing ‘ in the person of Christ the Head ’, and is given a sacred power for the service of others .
The bishops have authority to proclaim the Gospel and teach the Catholic faith , to sanctify the Church by celebrating the sacraments , and to guide the whole Church through their leadership and pastoral care . They do this in communion with the Pope , the bishop of Rome .
A diocesan bishop has a special authority to govern his own diocese . He collaborates with the clergy , religious and laity of his diocese , caring for the Church , evangelising those who do not know Christ , and building up God ’ s Kingdom . His heart is open to the needs and concerns of all .
Bishops are called to be servants , and to be examples of love and holiness . They try to imitate Christ the Good Shepherd . We owe them honour and respect , because of their office . Yet they struggle , like every Christian , with weakness and temptation . They need our prayers and support , and sometimes our forgiveness .