Baptism is the first of the seven sacraments. This sacrament has been undisputed in the Church since the beginning of Christian tradition. It is now celebrated as an infant as opposed to in Jesus" time when you had to be an adult. Baptism is a part of the initiation practice. Baptism is a Greek word meaning to submerge, so it is fitting that the baby has water poured on its head as a sign of cleansing. The baby will also have oil poured on its head as a sign of special belonging. The baby is then presented with two gifts, a white robe and a candle. These are signs that they are a new creation in a family.
I have been baptized, that was the first step to full membership of the church. .
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Penance is one of the sacraments of healing in the Christian Church. It is the sacrament that lets us apologize for all of our wrong doings and we will then officially be forgiven by God. It is through this sacrament that God wishes to teach us the lesson that we must forgive others just like he"ll forgive us. I find it very comforting that I can reconcile my wrong doings with God. It takes away my guilty conscience.
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One of the most important sacraments in the Christian Church is Eucharist. It symbolizes that to share food is to share life. The idea of the Eucharist is derived from the Last Supper where Jesus turned his body into bread and his blood into wine. To offer a meal to someone is to offer peace, that is why it is so significant. I receive Eucharist every week and believe that it is important to reassure God that you do believe in him.
Confirmation is the sacrament in which we become disciples of Jesus. Through Confirmation we gain full membership of the church. Long ago only adults were allowed to be confirmed. They had to go through three years of instruction and trial to prove that they could lead a good Christian life. The Eastern part of the church offers all of the initiation sacraments to babies, but the Western Church usually gives Baptism as an infant and Eucharist and Confirmation in middle childhood.