Folia Canonica 11. (2008)
PROCEEDINGS OF TENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. "Questioni attuali intorno al Battesimo" Budapest, 4th February 2008 - Michael Carragher: Intention of the Minister as Substantive Element of Baptism
216 MICHAEL CARRAGHER 4.Juridic act Canons 1, 11, 96 and 205 regulate the canonical effects of the sacrament of baptism. However as this paper is focussed on the minister of the sacrament nothing more will be said regarding the juridic consequences of receiving baptism. 5. Matter God took the initiative of expressing spiritual realities by means of material things. The signs chosen have a natural affinity to the realities, e.g. water — washing, oil — re-invigorating, food — nourishment. Sacraments are instruments to save and sanctify human beings therefore it belongs to God to determine what signs. Different people different signs. The means chosen are of common use and easily obtained. Water, bread, oil, wine of the grape. 6. Form The Sacrament of Baptism derives its power principally from its form.19 St. Augustine: a word is added to an element and procures a sacrament. 1) For in the first place words can be considered in regard to the cause of sanctification, which is the Word Incarnate: to Whom the sacraments have a certain conformity, in that the word is joined to the sensible sign, just as in the mystery of Incarnation the Word of God is united to sensible flesh. 2) Secondly, sacraments may be considered on the part of man who is sanctified, and who is composed of soul and body: to whom the sacramental remedy is adjusted, since it touches the body through the sensible element, and the soul through faith in the words. Hence 19 Summa Theologiae 111, q. 67 a. 6. Respondeo dicendum quod sacramentum baptismi praecipue habet virtutem ex forma. See also Summa Theologiae 111, q. 60, a. 6. Respondeo dicendum quod sacramenta, sicut dictum est, adhibentur ad hominum sanctificationem sicut quaedam signa. Tripliciter ergo considerari possunt, et quolibet modo congruit eis quod verba rebus sensibilibus adiungantur. Primo enim possunt considerari ex parte causae sanctificantis, quae est verbum incarnatum, cui sacramentum quodammodo conformatur in hoc quod rei sensibili verbum adhibetur, sicut in mysterio incarnationis carni sensibili est verbum dei unitum. Secundo possunt considerari sacramenta ex parte hominis qui sanctificatur, qui componitur ex anima et corpore, cui proportionate sacramentalis medicina, quae per rem visibilem corpus tangit, et per verbum ab anima creditur. Unde Augustinus dicit, super illud loan. XV, iam vos mundi estis propter sermonem etc., unde ista est tanta virtus aquae ut corpus tangat et cor abluat, nisi faciente verbo, non quia dicitur, sed quia creditur? tertio potest considerari ex parte ipsius significationis sacramentalis. Dicit autem Augustinus, in II de doct. Christ., quod verba inter homines obtinuerunt principatum significandi, quia verba diversimode formari possunt ad significandos diversos conceptus mentis, et propter hoc per verba magis distincte possumus exprimere quod mente concipimus. Et ideo ad perfectionem significationis sacramentalis necesse fuit ut significatio remm sensibilium per aliqua verba determinaretur. Aqua enim significare potest et ablutionem propter, suam humidi- tatem, et refrigerium propter suam frigiditatem, sed cum dicitur, ego te baptizo, manifestatur quod aqua utimur in baptismo ad significandam emundationem spiritualem.
