The blessing of the water in the rite of Baptism as an education to the faith

Abstract

In the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, during the blessing of the baptismal water, the Church commemorates the great events in the history of salvation that already prefigured the mystery of Baptism. This dissertation will analyse the euchological text of the Prayer Over the Water from a mystagogical perspective based on the study of the biblical foundation and the catechesis of some of the Church Fathers. In the light of the Second Vatican Council's teaching, this study aims at presenting the sacrament of Baptism as a kairotic moment in the formation of the new christians and their education to the faith of the Church today. The Church asks the Lord to renew the wonders of the past by inflaming the water with the power of the Holy Spirit so that whoever is immersed in the fountain of Baptism receives a renewed and incorruptible life in Christ. Through the prayer of the community of believers, God grants his grace and initiates the neophytes in a new way of life. The dissertation studies how the rites of Baptism express, with signa sensibilia, the effects of the bath of regeneration and guide those who celebrate them - ministers, candidates and community- towards a virtuous life and accompany them in their journey of faith. Although the presence of "matter and form" safeguard the validity of the sacrament, this study calls for a renewal in the celebration of the sacraments which abandons the culture of minimalism and welcomes a festive climate where symbols are used to express the faith of the community and serve a catechetical purpose which does not only strike the rational abilities of the person but also touch the person in a holistic manner.