Baptism like all 7 Sacraments is Rich in Symbolism but Why?

           A sacrament is an efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ which infuses grace. Sacraments are conferred through the use of signs that are perceptible to the senses. All sacraments have a catabatic and anabatic component, they express man’s worship of God and they impart grace. While it is true that the grace imparted through the reception of the sacraments is spiritual and invisible it is fitting that Christ instituted a sacramental economy that uses sensible signs. Using sensible signs, the sacraments, reflect man’s nature,the two natures of Christ Incarnate, the Church, and a remedy for the fall of man.

           Man is a unique creature; he is a rational animal who possesses a spiritual soul, placing him within both the spiritual and material realms. As a rational animal it is proper that man should worship God and receive His grace in a physical way which involves his senses through the use of signs.As a rational creature man comes to know things through abstraction from the senses following the manner of Aristotle who said “There is nothing in the mind that is not first in the senses.”He is unable to grasp spiritual realities in a purely spiritual way. Thus the use of sensible signs respects man for who he is and is necessary for man to have some understanding the spiritual reality of the sacrament.

           The sacraments, using sensible signs, further reflects the two natures of the Incarnate Christ. Christ, in virtue of His incarnation, is visible to humanity, yet at the same time His divine power remains invisible. In the same manner insofar as the sacraments are signs they are visible to humanity yet the sanctifying power of the sacrament remains invisible.

           Sacraments, possessing both visible and invisible dimensions further reflects the Church. As visible signs the sacraments reflect the visibility of the Church. As with any group there must be identifying signs which identify the members of that organization. The reception of a visible sacrament thus outwardly marks members of the Church for who they are. They signify to the world an invisible reality that occurs while marking the person receiving the sacrament as a member of the Church.

           The sacraments as visible signs also reflect the medicinal purpose of the sacraments. Fallen man frequently finds himself tempted to act against his reason by his sensible appetites. In other words for fallen man the cause of his sins are frequently his senses. It is thus fitting that God cures man from his disorders through something tangible and visible.

           Christ ordained that the sacraments should make use of sensible signs. A true understanding of sacramental theology and human anthropology makes the fittingness of the sacraments use of sensible signs clear. As sensible signs, the sacraments help to shed light on man’s nature, the two natures of Christ Incarnate, the Church, and the remedy for the fall of man.