“That’s gonna leave a mark.”
No doubt you’ve heard that quip from one of your witty and unhelpful friends after you’ve taken a spectacular tumble or bashed your head into something low and hard. If it wasn’t for the pain and blood you could think up all kinds of caustic comebacks. As it is, deep down you know the smart ass is right, you just earned yourself a new scar.
As we play snow-day-cancellation-catch-up in RCIA classes (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) at the Catholic church we have been combining subjects into single sessions. Our last one combined the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders which may seem odd but it struck me that what these three have in common is they all leave a permanent mark on their recipient. These marks are not scars, which imply pain and damage, nor do they involve tattoo artists or hot branding irons.
The mark is spiritual.
This indelible spiritual mark means that we belong to Christ. The Catholic Church calls this mark “character.” The word character here has a theological definition and does not refer to our personality or our moral actions. Its definition is akin to the remark in the first few verses of Hebrews:
1 In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; 2 in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, 3 who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being…
Christ is the “imprint” of God. In Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders we receive the imprint, the seal, the distinction, the brand, the mark, the character of Christ, meaning we are His.
This sacramental character can’t be removed by sin (though sin can prevent these Sacraments from bearing the fruit of salvation), it is a supernatural mark on our souls which is why we can take part in these three Sacraments only once in our lives. This means the mark has more of a legal or official nature rather than a grace that changes us which is why it is possible to reject God and his grace and still retain the mark of Christ. Of course it is God’s intention that the grace and the character go together so that the mark becomes a sign of grace.
I’m sensing that you’re unimpressed, that you might be thinking this character thing is just more Catholic nonsense that gets in the way of a simple relationship with Christ. I’m using a lot of words on it because it struck me as a most beautiful and comforting reality and because it reminded me of the movie Toy Story. Remember how the boy Andy only wrote his name on his favorite toys? We see in the beginning of the movie how Woody, the cowboy doll who is Andy’s favorite toy, is transformed by having Andy’s name on the bottom of his boot. He loves that he belongs to Andy, the very thought of separation from Andy horrifies him. Because he is the favorite he is the leader of all Andy’s toys, not in a dictatorial sense but in that he encouraged everyone and helped give them a sense of purpose and belonging. We are like Woody only it is Christ’s name on us. The wonderful, life transforming news is that we get to “play” with Christ because…
We belong to Christ!
So let’s briefly look at these three Sacraments:
Baptism is one of the three sacraments of initiation (the other two are Confirmation and the Eucharist). It is a sign and symbol of dying and rising with Christ, of cleansing and is necessary for salvation. Because it is a God given Sacrament this sign and symbol actually accomplishes what it symbolizes. We actually receive the remission of original sin (sadly the hangover from the effects of original sin is still there…); we are truly born into a new life as Gods adoptive child; we really do get made part of the church and are bonded with other Christians; and then there’s that character thing.
I’m pretty sure all Christian denominations baptize though for many it is merely a symbol but Confirmation as a grace bestowing Sacrament is limited to the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Confirmation is a necessary completion of baptismal grace. Confirmation, in a way, continues the grace of Pentecost when the Apostles received the Holy Spirit preparing them to get out there and spread the Good News. In Confirmation there is an increase and a deepening of all the effects of baptism so we are strengthened to get out there and serve. And there’s the spiritual mark.
You’re probably wondering, “Did the Catholics just make this stuff up?”
To become a Jew an outsider had to receive instruction, take a ritual bath of purification, men got circumcised, they read the Law, they made the necessary Passover sacrifices then participated in a Passover meal. Christ changed this up a bit by emphasizing the bath and meal but if you look at how new converts were brought into the church from the first century it followed a similar pattern. This is the same pattern we see in the Catholic church today built into the Sacraments of Initiation. Instruction, baptism, Confirmation (sealing and anointing), culminating in the Eucharistic meal. These ancient rites are not just pretty antiques with a good resale value but make present the grace of God and bear fruit in those who receive them in faith.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders (bishops, priests and deacons) is meant to “serve the communion of the church” which means it is, like the Sacrament of Marriage, directed toward the salvation of others. God established the priesthood in the Old Testament and Christ is the perfect fulfillment of that priesthood which is why the New Testament refers to him as our High Priest. Christ didn’t have disciples, a special group of twelve disciples, so he could have his own little church. He was raising up leaders… he was preparing priests on whom he bestowed in a special way the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Were those twelve meant to be it?
No! Immediately in Acts we see the Apostles raising up and laying hands (bestowing the Holy Spirit) on new leaders. Of course every baptized believer shares in Christ’s priesthood but that “ordinary” priesthood needs teaching and building up which is why Christ established a ministerial priesthood. There has to be leaders.
Holy Orders though are more than just a fancy leadership, it is sacramental. Ordination confers on bishops and priests the gift of the Holy Spirit that “permits the exercise of a sacred power…” that is, to act in the person of Christ. They are a living sign and symbol of Christ. Oh and there is the brand of Christ. This is some big stuff and I plan to dig deeper into it in the future.
You’re probably wondering if the sacramental character can only be received once why is it repeated through each of these three sacraments?
Repetition is not what is happening.
The spiritual mark is not repeated but added to, enlarged and deepened. We begin as a child, the mark is simple but we are not called to stay put but to grow in faith. It is the name of Christ we are imprinted with but Christ is anything but simple and to follow Him is to grow in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, right judgment, courage, reverence, wonder and awe. To have the name of Christ written on us should make us like Woody, we should be thrilled and inspired and above all want to stay connected to our Owner.
Unlike the boy Andy in Toy Story God does not play favorites but places his mark on anyone who seeks Him through Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders so that everyone privileged to have this mark can reach out to encourage, feed, clothe and house others and show them they too can have a purpose, that they too belong. May the Holy Spirit help us live out that calling and experience the joy of being Christs own.
The Sect Tourist 