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184 • Part II. The Sacraments: The Faith Celebrated
The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before
starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given
by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the
waters. “He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake . . . to begin a
new creation through the Spirit and water” (St. Gregory Nazianzen,
Liturgy of the Hours
, I, 634). Jesus’ immersion in the water is a sign for
all human beings of the need to die to themselves to do God’s will. Jesus
did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of
his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity
with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By com-
manding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by
which people would die to sin—Original and actual—and begin to live
a new life with God.
THE LITURGY OF BAPTISM
The meaning and grace of the sacrament of Baptism are
clearly seen in the rites of its celebration.
—CCC, no. 1234
The eight major elements in the baptismal ceremony teach us the mean-
ing of this Sacrament of Initiation and help us appreciate our life in
Christ. Signs and symbols have their own capacity to communicate their
meaning. Of course, the Sacrament is more than an instructive symbol;
it accomplishes what it signifies.
The Sign of the Cross
At the beginning of the celebration, the celebrant traces the Sign of
the Cross on the forehead of the one being baptized. This recalls Christ’s
saving death and the redemption it brought. Baptism is a Sacrament
of salvation.