INITIATION

The Holy Mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist make us members of the Church. We call this Initiation. Initiation means to become a member Jesus is God, who became man. In His Body and Blood, Jesus joined humans with God. In Jesus we all become members of God's family.

Through water and the Holy Spirit In Baptism and Chrismation We are born again as God's children... His family.

As God's children we are made members of the Church, because we share in God's life together. We are all joined in Jesus with God. We become God's family.

The Mystery of Baptism copies Jesus' own Baptism in the Jordan River by Saint John the Baptist.

Water is used to show how we are washed clean from original sin in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Original sin separates us from God. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they did not want to share in God's Love, and had to leave Jesusspeakstome.

All humans are the children of Adam and Eve. So we have Adam and Eve's original sin in us. We are not born in Jesusspeakstome living with God as a member of His family.

In Baptism we are washed clean of original sin, because God's Holy Spirit comes to live in us.

We are no longer separated from God's life. With the Holy Spirit in us we become members of God's family.

Jesus joins humans with God in His Body. So when He was baptized, Jesus blessed all Baptisms letting God's Holy Spirit be joined to us when we are baptized. It is as i f we are born a second time. This time we are not just humans, but humans with God's Spirit. We are no longer the children of Adam and Eve, but now the children of God.

Jesus said; "...No on can enter God's Kingdom without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, but what is born of the Spirit is spirit."

All the people who are reborn in Baptism and live with God's Holy Spirit are members of the Church. They are all joined together in God's Spirit, which they all share together. They all have the Holy Spirit. So they are known as the People of God.

The Church is made up of all the people joined in God... joined by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Church is God's Family.

In the Mystery of Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit and once again live with God. We have His Holy Spirit in us, so we share in God's Life as His family. This is "sealed" by the Mystery of Chrismation.

So Maronites say that, we get back the ROBE OF GLORY in Baptism and Chrismation, which Adam and Eve lost by original sin. Once again our bodies are wrapped in the Glory of God. We are filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and we live in that holiness.

"you have been clothed with the Father, you have received Christ, the Son, you have put on the Holy Spirit, and you have been given the Robe of Glory, which Adam laid aside." The Mystery of Chrismation increases the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us in Baptism. It SEALS us in our life in the Spirit. "Seals" means it completes...

The Mystery of Chrismation gives us the Special Gifts of the Holy Spirit to seal our Baptism.

In the old days, kings and prophets were blessed with Holy Oil to receive special gifts from God to do His work. Today we bless every baby with Holy Oil called CHRISM to show the special gifts God's Spirit gives them. The Holy Spirit gives us these special gifts to help us do God's work. They help us love one another.

The Special Gifts of the Holy Spirit received in Chrismation are

WISDOM... knowing the purpose or plan of God

UNDERSTANDING... knowing what God wants

COUNSEL... to think before you act, not to rush in

FORTITUDE... having courage to do what is right

KNOWLEDGE... being able to tell good from bad

PIETY... leads us to devotion to God

FEAR OF GOD... to love, honor and respect God

Why do Maronites give Chrismation to babies ?

Chrismation completes the gift of God's Spirit given in Baptism... So Maronites see the Spirit's Gifts given in Chrismation as part of becoming a member in the Church. Even i f you are a baby, they will help you as you grow up.

They help you love God. They help you not to sin, and they keep you close to God... They also help you get ready for Holy Communion.

Pick one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, And Draw how you use this Gift in your life.