BAPTISMAL MOTIVES IN THE NEW RITES OF THE CHRISTIAN FUNERAL
Paweł Damian Odziomek
Uniwersytet Papieski Jana Pawła II w KrakowieAbstract
The motives of baptism contained in the rites of the funeral constitute the subject of this article, which testifies the mutual relation of the liturgical celebrations. The relation between baptism and funeral is very interesting, although not so popular. The inspiration of writing this article came from the funeral rites, that in one of the initial phrases speak about God's accomplishing action of the baptismal initiation.
Comparative analyses indicate common sources of the celebrations, as well as mutual references on theological and semantical levels. The considered data have been presented in three aspects: paschal, eschatological, and mystagogical, referring the the process of Christian initiation. Both rites, that of baptism and of the funeral are rooted in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ, which introduce man into the depth of faith and new quality of life.
The article can contribute to better understanding of the baptismal rites and the funeral rites, as well as the unity of the sacraments and sacramentals. The study may also help in preparing the funeral homiilies and also catechesis and conferences on the liturgical celebrations. It may trigger an interest for further systematic reflection and research on this subject.
