Catholic Symbolism in Baptism - Final Post

Parents, Priest, Godparents, and Child at baptism

Catholicism has many forms of symbolism ranging from the colors found throughout a church to the actions performed by priests and members of the congregation. I am going to focus on a specific sacrament and take an in depth look at the meanings behind the actions and objects used during the ceremony. Many of the symbolic items seen in a Baptism would hold similar meanings throughout the normal masses of the Catholic Church, in other words, these symbols are important within the Baptism and other masses. The sacrament of Baptism holds much significance for a newborn within the Catholic Church. 

Baptismal Gown

The first thing that may strike you when you attend a Catholic Baptism is the color white. The gown the baby wears is usually a white garment made of a fairly high quality fabric. The Church is usually decorated with white banners and flowers. The candles around the church are white. The white seen all around the church signifies the purity given through Baptism, the purity from sin. Babies are seen to be clean of sin because they cannot really make their own choices regarding sin. The color white is seen throughout other times of the year in the church. It is quite prevalent during the Christmas season especially.

Child being Baptized

The person is baptized in water in a baptismal font. The water is seen to wash away the “stain of Original Sin.” The water is poured over the baby’s head three times, representing the Trinity. The priest says “I now baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Each splash of water is calling on a different part of the Trinity to rid the baby of Original Sin. During the baptism, water also symbolizes the Paschal Mystery, a central teaching of the Catholic Church. The water shows the person being baptized as dying to sin and being resurrected to new life in God.

Baptismal Candle

During a Catholic Baptism the godparents of the child light candles signifying the presence of the Holy Spirit. The flame is a sign that the person being baptized will be a light to the world and will spread the message of God to others.

Chrism

Another symbol seen in the Baptism is the oil put on the baby’s forehead. It is drawn on in the shape of a cross. This oil, officially called Chrism, is a symbol that ties the person being baptized to Jesus. He was the anointed one, and the Chrism represents his presence in the child’s life. The oil represents the person’s connection to Jesus’ roles during his time. It gives the person the right to share in the sacrament of Eucharist (37).

Casket Pall

Many of these symbols are seen at Catholic funerals as well as baptisms. While you would typically think of black when you think of death, a Catholic Church is decorated in white for a funeral. The presence of these symbols at the sacraments typically held at the beginning and the end of a person’s life mean that they are similar stages in life in the Catholic Church. Baptism is usually experienced at the beginning of your earthly life. A funeral is held at the end of that life but also the beginning of your eternal life with God. These symbols link birth and death as beginnings of life instead of an ending.

Catholicism is fairly similar to other Christian religions, but differs from most other religions in our world today. Rastafarians, for example, do not get baptized. This may be due to the act that the Rastafari movement is less organized than Catholicism. Where Rastafari is a religion that is firmly rooted in a specific location, it has no formal hierarchy of leaders that universally guide all Rastafarians. It is much more centered on individual groups and communities. There is no requirement to be accepted into these communities. The gathering where Rastas reason, are not controlled by strict guidelines of form and prerequisites, but the Catholic Church is different. In order to participate fully in the Catholic Church you should be baptized. The Eucharist is not supposed to be received by those who are not baptized within the Catholic Church. This sounds far more exclusive than the Rastas way of life.

Baptismal Font

Mormons also get baptized, but what is the difference between the two religion’s forms of Baptism? Not much. The Mormons are debatably Christian. They believe you must be baptized in order to reach Heaven after death. It is necessary to be saved. Catholics tends to be a bit more lenient by saying a person can go to heaven without being baptized within their church.

These symbols are important in Catholicism. They connect the new member of the church to Christ in more ways than one. The symbols bring deeper meanings regarding Jesus' ministry and teachings into the ceremony of Baptism. The ceremony itself brings the baptized person into the Church and allows them to receive the Eucharist which is one of the most important parts of the faith. The symbols bring together the actions and feelings of the Church.

So you may be wondering why I would focus this post specifically on Baptism. I chose this because many people who are not Catholic may find themselves attending a Catholic Baptism. I wanted to spend my time really focusing on a sacrament that many people outside of the Church may see. It’s is a way the church is seen by others. It’s not a website, but it is something that represents the Church to the outside world. Another reason I chose Baptism is because it is the beginning of one’s journey through the Catholic Church. It is a vital part of the Catholic faith. 

Together at Baptism By Joseph E. Payne, C.S.C.

The Book of Abraham

 The Book of Abraham lacks credibility as a book that should be a Mormon text. I do not think it really lends much substance to the Mormon ideas found in The Book of Mormon. Actually I do not see how it is seen to have anything to do with anything Mormon except for the fact that Joseph Smith “translated” this from some papyrus that happened to be in his possession.

Facsimile shows damage 

I do not think The Book of Abraham is from 2000 BC because the papyrus this was written on had to be in really rough shape when Smith acquired them after almost 4000 years of their being written. This makes me think the narrative would not be so fluid. There had to be pieces missing from the paper or irreparable damage. The story 

would not have the ability to transition in a semi-coherent fashion.

Other pieces of this story that do not make sense are the pictures, or facsimiles, on the paper. They have probably been misinterpreted. I think scholars in Egyptian history and hieroglyphics would probably read these differently than Joseph Smith has presented them. I just do not think the bird on the first facsimile is supposed to be an angel from God.

The Book of Abraham is a book translated by Joseph Smith that does not advance his message in my opinion. I think it is just an odd attempt at showing his followers that he truly is a prophet because he can translate “ancient Egyptian texts.” These texts had to be fairly roughed up, meaning they could not have told a fluid story effectively. I have much doubt about Smith’s translation being legitimate. 

Searching for Credibility

I have a really hard time believing that much of the stories told in The Book of Mormon really happened personally. I think Joseph Smith just took things from the Bible and made them fit into his religion. He did not really come up with any new revelations, but instead chose which parts he liked and compiled them into a book. When he did this he had to establish a hint of credibility. He does not really achieve this even though he attempts to at the end with the testimonies, but he takes some of the symbols from the Bible and incorporates them into the stories of Nephi and the other books found in The Book of Mormon. 

            

I think Joseph Smith Jr. took symbolism from the Bible and incorporated it into his translation of The Book of Mormon. Three and twelve are numbers that are given symbolic significance throughout the whole Bible. These show up when the period of darkness is described. It last for roughly three tumultuous days. When Nephi is told to baptize those who have repented, eleven others are also told (486). This means a total of twelve people are given the power to baptize followers in the name of Jesus. I think Smith took the number of apostles and found a way to incorporate it into his narrative.

Joseph Smith took elements from the Bible, specifically the symbolism of numbers, and used them to give credibility to his translation of The Book of Mormon. Personally, I think this is a poor way to bring about a base of credibility.

Jesus' Visit

                  If I was a Mormon in the early 1800’s I would feel like my religion was legitimized by The Book of Mormon. The Third Book of Nephi indicates that the Mormon people are the chosen people of God. Jesus visits them in America and says to Nephi and eleven others, “I have chosen [you] to minister unto this people” (491). This book portrays their founding father, Nephi, to be hand selected by God to lead this group of people. This entire book gives their religion the legitimacy searched for by all religions.

               

                 This book gives all power to the Mormons. It also justifies mistreatment of the Native Americans around 1830. The Native Americans were seen as savage people who were not civilized or organized. Persecution of Native Americans was in full swing right before Joseph Smith Jr.’s edition of The Book of Mormon was published. It does not necessarily condone the persecution, but the early chapters of the book may have contributed to ill feelings towards the Native Americans.

                Jesus’ choosing of the Mormon followers as his chosen people allows them to think they are better than those who are not God’s chosen people. The Lamanites would have been seen as inferior because Jesus did not appear to them, but instead to the Nephites. This event can be seen as a contributing factor in the feelings that led to the mistreatment of a misunderstood group of people. 

Religion Divides, It Does Not Unify

The Baha’i faith is one that believes in unity among nations and all peoples. This is a big dream that will probably never come true. Our world is far too immersed in turmoil for everyone to hug it out and be best friends. Religion brings about much conflict itself. Throughout history it has been a dividing force rather than a unifying one. The Crusades, the turmoil in Israel, Jihad; all of these can be seen as battles relating directly to religion. It’s not that the religions necessarily call for the violence, but that it’s hard for people to distinguish between religion and politics when the control of the country is tightly entwined with the religion in the country. Even now in the United States, religion has an impact on controversies that affect our public policy. Religion and God are used as reasons why same sex marriage should not be legalized or why abortion should be illegal.

I do not think this is what was intended by any religion when it was found and first organized. It just happens that people take religion and use it to fight political battles for them. If Baha’u’llah’s message was correct and the founders of the major prophesized religions were all “Manifestations of God,” then this conflict was never intended by the original God (201). I just think this teaching of worldwide unity will never happen, and if it did it would not come about through a religion.

Compassion Is Universal

I believe Baha’u’llah would agree with the idea of showing compassion towards other people. He may not clearly state this in words, but he shows his thoughts of this through his actions towards other people he encounters. Baha’u’llah taught his followers the “Golden Rule” by showing them compassion rather than telling them how to act towards one another. I think the Baha’i would find compassion to be a component of their religion, like every other religion. The video had followers of Islam in it, and Baha’i came from that so I would think compassion would be a part of their beliefs as well.

An example of Baha’u’llah’s actions being the bases of his teachings on compassion that sticks out to me would be when he stood up for his fellow Babis and was bastinadoed for them (21). Baha’u’llah stepped in for multiple Babis when they were threatened. He took the beating instead of allowing them to be beaten. He showed his love for others by taking on their pain and allowing them to be free from the torment they were undergoing. He saw the need of another person and came to their aid.

Baha’u’llah would agree with the theory of compassion. He at least showed what compassion was throughout his life and people followed his example in their own life. Compassion is a universal theme in religions, and the Baha’i faith seems to be no different.