Sacramental Leniency
The practice nowadays, where Christenings are concerned, is that most are performed soon after the birth of a child. The timing of this sacrament just doesn’t sit right with me. Many would be only too happy to leave things as they are for the sake of tradition… but tradition dictates otherwise. So…are we too lenient with our Sacraments???
Any community of faith has a certain amount of what should be accepted by all for membership….core beliefs which make the community just that. In the olden days one went through a vigorous process of education and spiritual growth before Christening could even be considered….today it’s expected on demand. The old rumour that unbaptised babies went to Limbo has failed to stand the test of time (& theology) and so now, where there could once have been reason for premature baptisms, that reason no longer exists.
No one could suggest that a few week old baby can understand what’s happening to them never mind what such a commitment means for their lifetime. It’s not my intention to exclude but is there any point in calling oneself Christian or Catholic if belief is not required?
What then of Communion? Should it not retake it’s rightful place as the icing on the cake. That is to say: Should it not become post-Confirmation rather than the current way. Pre-Communion classes may help those involved to know how to act on the day but I fear there is a limit to the amount of Eucharistic Theology a 7 year old can take in. To receive Communion while wondering ‘What’s with the bread?’ is not ideal and little more can be expected at that stage.
Ones faith is a personal thing and should not become ‘what I should believe’. If a child thinks they should think this but has never examined their own belief then what is the strength of their convictions?….what is the strenght of their faith? The argument for setting such an order of sacraments as it once was includes the spiritual growth of the faithful later still when the significance of receiving Communion becomes nothing more than a duty…like standing and sitting in tune with the rest.
If someone believes they know what they believe simply because it’s what they were told then it’s not their faith…it’s their parent’s. The act of disecting ones faith means that in the end it’s stronger than possible before. After all trainee machanic has to take the car apart to know how it works.
Much of the scientific community feel that it is at the age of 7 that a child’s conscience develops into their own rather than whatever they’re told by their parents. This stage of spiritual growth should be marked…. but not at the expense of the Eucharist. If a child at this age cannot receive Communion they are more likely to sit wondering what this act means for those receiving than they would be a few years previous. Should such a personal search not be made possible?
Instead we give the big answers at an early age when they’re simply misunderstood and forgotten and leave the struggling teen to find answers for themselves…or not, as the case may be.
My opinions on the above are works in progress….so I would be interested in your opinions.
Tuesday, July 31st, 2007 and is filed under Prayer & the Christian life.
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Gerard Says:
I tend to agree with the overall thrust of your blog. There are two issues as I see it. First, I wonder if the church is brave enough to allow people makes these decisions based on the church that they experience in their lives and from this experience, come to a point where they want to be part of it. The second is that we seem to have arrived at the point where faith education (such as it is) ends at the conclusion of primary school and hence, everyone works together to get the sacramental steps “done” before the end of sixth class. Much of this, therefore, hasn’t a lot to with appropriate faith development but with expediency. If we brougth faith education and development back into the parish (not at all popular!) and out of the school, then the time pressure isn’t there but now, the parish has to take on a task that in truth, always rightfully belonged in the parish.
July 31st, 2007 at 5:51 pm