The Communal Nature of Sacraments
Frequently our parish gets calls for a priest or deacon to do a private baptism of a child. Families desire an intimate celebration reserved only for relatives and friends of the child being baptized. As well intentioned as this is, it is contrary to the Rite of Baptism for Children and the general introduction to the Rite of Christian Initiation, which states,
The people of God, that is the Church, made present in the local community, has an important part to play in the baptism of both children and adults; Rite of Baptism for Children #4.
In the actual celebration, the people of God (represented not only by the parents, godparents and relatives, but also, as far as possible, by friends, neighbors and some members of the local church) should take an active part; Rite of Christian Initiation general introduction #7.
By their very nature, all sacraments are communal. They are celebrated by the community, in the midst of the community and for the community, as the liturgical documents tell us:
Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations belonging to the Church. … Therefore liturgical services involve the whole Body of the Church; Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #26.
Why is the Church so insistent that the local parish community be present for the most intimate spiritual moments on one’s journey of faith? Because that’s what Jesus did. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, out in the open for all to hear and to see. According to the gospel of Luke, Jesus was baptized along with others,
“After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.” Luke 3:21
When Jesus celebrated the Last Supper, he didn’t dine alone. He shared the meal with the community of disciples. Whenever Jesus healed the sick, it was in the midst of a community. The actions of Jesus, from which we trace the origin of our sacraments, were done in the midst of the community. In this way, the members of the community witnessed the love of God and could then share that love with others.
As Jesus’ actions demonstrated, sacraments are about relationships. Every time we celebrate a sacrament, we enter anew into a relationship with the Triune God. This is why we are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Sacraments also forge new relationships with the community. In the sacrament of Baptism, we become part of the family of believers. Even the sacrament of Penance, which typically takes place between the priest and the penitent in private, has a communal focus. The Rite of Penance “always entails reconciliation with our brothers and sisters who are always harmed by our sins.”Rite of Penance #5.
Like the first disciples of Jesus, we too are called to witness the transforming love of Jesus through the sacraments. In this way, we become the healing, reconciling, transforming sacrament of God in the world.