Rev. Francis J. Hoffman: Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments Eight: Baptism: Matter, Form, and Minister

By  Rev. Francis J. Hoffman, Relevant Radio

Rev. Francis J. Hoffman, “Fr. Rocky” is theExecutive  Director/CEO of Relevant Radio and a priest of Opus Dei.

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Lesson 8

Baptism: Matter, Form, and Minister

Theologians who study the sacraments distinguish the Matter and the Form for a Sacrament.  For Baptism, the Matter is water . . . natural water.  It can be fresh water or salt water, but it must be water, not soap, not beer, not wine, not honey.  Water.  Why water?  Because that is what Jesus did, and that is what he said we should do.   And remember, Jesus is God.  The water can be warm or cold, but it cannot be ice or steam, because if Jesus meant ice or steam, he would have said “ice” or “steam.”

The person being baptized could be dunked in a pool of water or a stream or even a muddy river, like the Jordan river – that’s called immersion or submersion, but it is not recommended for infants; or the minister of Baptism could pour water over the crown of the head of the infant or adult being baptized – and that’s the usual way.  But the Church does not want people to be sprinkled (called ‘aspersion’) because there is a chance the sprinkles won’t actually reach the person.  So what’s the Matter? Water.  And the pouring of the water symbolizes what it actually accomplishes:  it cleanses the soul from sin.

What’s the Form?  It’s the words that the minister pronounces.  And since Baptism is necessary for salvation, the minister – in an emergency – could himself be a non-baptized person, because you cannot baptize yourself.   Normally, the Minister of Baptism is the Pastor of the Parish, or another priest or a deacon.

While the water is being poured over the head, the Minister says: “Joseph or Mary, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  And that is it. No amen.

And the minister cannot change the words, or it is invalid.  That happened some years ago when ministers changed the words to “I baptize you in the name of the Creator, and of the Redeemer, and of the Sanctifier.”  Those baptisms were illegal and invalid, so they had to be repeated. As a friend once said to me about the way the text is colored in the Roman Missal, a book that indicates specific instructions for celebrating Mass: “Father, read the black; do the red.”

So tune in every day of Lent to learn more about your Catholic faith, because if you Learn it, then you can Live it; and if you Live it, you will Love it; and if you Love it, you will never Leave it!

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