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Typology: the Sacraments of Initiation and the Bible

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Typology: the Sacraments of Initiation and the Bible Typology: The Sacraments of Initiation and the Bible You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me. ~ John 5:39 HE RECEPTION OF THE SACRAMENTS of Chris- The technical term for something in the Old Tes- tian initiation gives us the ability to more tament that prefigures or foreshadows something in deeply understand the meaning and myster- the New Testament is the word “type.” The study Ties of what God has revealed in Holy Scrip- of such types is called “typology.” Let us now take a ture. There are two primary reasons why this is so. look at some of the key Old Testament types of the First is the personal, firsthand experience of the rites sacraments of initiation, beginning with the sacra- themselves. One who has experienced them is able ment of Baptism. to identify with the symbolic meaning of the rites. But the second reason is even more profound. Types (Prefigurements) of Baptism Our soul has been flooded with the grace of God; From the beginning, the Church has seen in the our spiritual cup overflows (see Ps 23:5). A person- great flood and Noah’s ark (see Gn 6:1-9:17) a prefig- al experience of the sacraments and the reception of urement of salvation by Christian Baptism. The wa- their particular graces puts us in the position to un- ters of the flood washed away wickedness from the derstand Holy Scripture like never before. We have earth and marked the beginning of a new creation. simply to use well what we have received. Water was also a specific element of the prophecies concerning the Mes- Some Bible Basics “Something in the Old Testament that sianic time of salva- A key idea to tion: “On that day keep in mind when prefigures or foreshadows something in there shall be a fountain reading the Bible the New Testament is a ‘type.’” opened for the house of is expressed by the David and the inhab- following saying: itants of Jerusalem to The New Testament is hidden in the Old, cleanse them from sin and uncleanness” and the Old is revealed in the New. (Zec 13:1). This means that God has had In Christian Baptism, there is one plan of salvation from the a mysterious participation in the very beginning, and that the death and Resurrection of Christ. purpose of the Old Testament The old, sinful self is put to was to prepare for and prefig- death, and a new self comes ure the Christian realities of forth, filled with the life of the New Testament. The sac- God. As Holy Scripture raments were part of God’s says, “We were buried plan all along, and if we read therefore with him by bap- the Old Testament with tism into death, so that as the eyes of faith we will Christ was raised from soon come to a deep- the dead by the glory er understanding and of the Father, we too appreciation of Christ might walk in new- and of what has oc- ness of life” (Rom curred in the newly- 6:4). In another DAVID CHARLES PHOTOGRAPHY initiated person. The Lamb of God, a powerful symbol of Christ in Scripture passage, St. Paul The Association for Catechumenal Ministry (ACM) grants the original purchaser (parish, local parochial institution, or individual) permission to reproduce this handout. says, “[I]f anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old Heaven. In Christian Baptism, the baptized cross has passed away, behold, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17). over through water into the hope of eternal life. And A second type or prefigurement of Baptism is the as a guarantee that he will be faithful to his prom- circumcision of male Israelites, beginning with Abra- ise of eternal life, through the sacrament of Baptism, ham (see Gn 17:9-14). Circumcision was the sign of God pours out the Holy Spirit into the hearts of the God’s covenant with his people, and made each male baptized and makes them his children. As his chil- a member of the covenantal community and subject dren, we are heirs to all of his promises (see Rom to God’s law (see Col 2:11-14). Baptism (for both 8:14-17). sexes) replaced circumcision as the means of incor- A fifth type or prefigurement of Baptism is in poration into the Chris- the New Testament. It tian community (see Col “The newly-baptized person has is Christ’s own baptism 2:11-14). been freed from what the slavery of in the Jordan River by A third type of Bap- his cousin John, who tism is the Israelites’ mi- the Israelites symbolized.” preached “a baptism of raculous crossing of the repentance for the forgive- Red Sea. By the almighty power of God ness of sins” (Lk 3:3). Jesus “fulfills all working through Moses, the waters righteousness” (Mt 3:15) and, in do- of the Red Sea were parted so that ing so, submits to the will of his the Israelites could pass through Father. At Jesus’ baptism, the it to the other side. After the Is- Heavens were opened, the raelites had passed through the Holy Spirit descended upon sea, Moses commanded the wa- Jesus in the form of a dove, ters to return. All of the enemies and the voice of God the Fa- of Israel who had followed them ther identified Jesus as his into the sea were destroyed by beloved Son with whom he the water. The Israelites were is well pleased (see Mt 3:16- once and for all liberated from 17). The Father, Son, and their cruel slavery to Pharaoh. Holy Spirit thereby sancti- They were free at last, ready to fied the waters. serve the true God and be his Through the cleansing wa- special people. ter and the words spoken by This event sheds more light the minister, the Holy Spir- on the meaning of Baptism. it descends upon the person The newly-baptized person has and begins to dwell within been freed from what the slav- him as a temple. The pres- ery of the Israelites symbolized. ence of the Holy Spirit with- Their (very real physical) slav- in enables the baptized per- ery symbolized the bondage to son to cry out “Abba!” which sin and to the power of Satan Christ blessing a royal couple, 11th century ivory panel basically means “Daddy!” that all humanity has experi- The Holy Spirit within tes- enced since the fall of Adam and Eve. And just as tifies that we have become children of God, and the the Israelites’ enemies were destroyed by the waters Father delights in us as his precious and beloved sons of the Red Sea, so the enemies of the human soul are and daughters. The baptized person has been born destroyed by the waters of Baptism. The baptized again of water and the Holy Spirit, and is able to en- person emerges from the water free from bondage, ter the Kingdom of God (see Jn 3:5). ready to serve God as a member of his special people, the new Israel, the Church. Types (Prefigurements) of Confirmation A fourth type of Baptism is the crossing of the Let us now take a look at some of the biblical Jordan River by the Israelites, by which they re- types, or prefigurements, of the sacrament of Con- ceived the gift of the land. This is the land that God firmation. This very important sacrament is prefig- had promised to Abraham and his descendants. ured in the Old Testament by the practice of anoint- The Promised Land is an image of the eternal life of ing with oil. These anointings were sacred and were Typology — Page 2 “Confirmation is prefigured by the practice of anointing with oil.” done to dedicate a person to God. The oil symbol- ized the Spirit of God. Priests, prophets, and kings were anointed. This symbolized the fact that they were set apart for God and had been given special spiritual power and gifts of the Holy Spirit to be used for a particular work in the service of God. The word “Christ,” which is Greek for the He- brew word “Messiah,” means “anointed one.” Je- sus Christ is “the Anointed One,” for within him dwells the fullness of the Holy Spirit and his gifts. In Baptism we are joined to Christ, made members of his Church, and given a share in his roles of priest, prophet, and king. Through Confirmation, we are all anointed with the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This gift of the Holy Spirit perfects the gifts of grace received in Baptism. Crucifixion, by Gustave Doré, 1833-1883 It also strengthens the soul so that the confirmed As the tenth and final plague, the Lord sent his Catholic is clothed with “power from on high” (Lk angel to slay all the firstborn of the Egyptians. But 24:49; see also Acts 1:8). This spiritual power en- the Lord “passed over” all the houses of the Israel- ables us to give powerful public witness to Christ ites who obeyed his instructions. He commanded and to live out our Christian lives in the power of each Israelite household to kill a male, unblemished the Holy Spirit. This will help us to overcome all lamb, in the evening. Then they were to sprinkle obstacles to our salvation (see Lk 24:49; Acts 2:1-11; some blood of the lamb on their doorposts.
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