Šiandienis sakramentų šventimo etapiškumas įkrikščioninant vaikus

LT1987 m. popiežius Jonas Paulius II rašė: „Jūsų tautos Krikšto šeši šimtosios metinės, kurias iškilmingai minite šiais Dievo malonės metais, tiek jums, tiek jūsų tikintiesiems sudaro gražią progą, sustiprinti tikėjimą, pagilinti maldingumą, atnaujinti dvasinį gyvenimą“. Praėjus 25 metams švenčiamas Žemaičių krikšto 600 metų jubiliejus, kuris taip pat teikia progą svarstyti apie Krikštą ir įkrikščioninimą ne kaip apie praeities ritualus, bet kaip apie susitikimą su Gyvuoju Dievu. Tačiau krikščioniu ne gimstama, bet tampama, todėl įkrikščioninimas yra nuolatinis augimas. Straipsnyje atsakoma į klausimą, kodėl šiandien įkrikščioninimo sakramentai švenčiami skirtingu laiku. Pristatomas įkrikščioninimo sakramentų šiandienis šventimo eiliškumas ir to eiliškumo teologinis pagrįstumas, t. y. kūdikių Krikšto, vaikų (Atgailos bei) Eucharistijos ir paauglių Sutvirtinimo šventimas tam tikruose gyvenimo etapuose. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Atgaila; Bažnyčia; Eucharistija; Krikštas; Kūdikystė; Paauglystė; Sutvirtinimas; Sutvirtinimo sakramentas,liturgija; Vaikystė; Vatikano II suvažiavimas; Įkrikščioninimas; Šventoji dvasia; Adolescence; Baptism; Childhood; Church; Confirmation; Cristian initiation; Eucharist; Holy Spirit; Infancy; Liturgy; Penance; Penitence; Vatican II Council.

ENA Christian is made, not born. Even in the first years of Christianity one had to go through a series of initiatory stages in order to become a Christian: proclamation of the Word, acceptance of the Gospel followed by conversion, confession of the Faith, Baptism, allotment of the Holy Spirit and union in the Eucharist. Vatican II Council renewed catechumenate - the preparatory period to receive Christian sacraments – Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Nowadays, like in the early centuries of Christianity, the initiation of adults begins with catechumenate of the candidates and is completed by the single celebration of the three sacraments – Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Initiation of infants and children, however, begins with Baptism, continues through the years of catechesis and reaches the climax when celebrating Confirmation and Eucharist. This is so called catechumenate after Baptism. It is used not only to teach children the faith, but is also necessary for the grace of Baptism to unfold while the child is maturing. The vision of initiation of Christians perceived by Vatican II Council is fully revealed and best illustrated in the „Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults“ where this united practice of initiation is aimed at unbaptized adults and unbaptized children of catechetical age as well as baptized but uncatechised adults who were not fully initiated. In case of Christian initiation of children there are two ways to celebrate the sacraments. Unbaptized children of catechetical age are fully initiated: Baptism, Confirmation and the First Communion are celebrated at the same Liturgy.The practice is different, though, in case of baptized children of the same age: the sacrament of Penance is celebrated first, then the First Communion is received and the Confirmation is postponed for several years and is administered only by a bishop. These two practices are justified by different assumptions, by different understanding of the meaning and role of the sacraments in the life of the child and the Church. When celebration of the sacraments is separated, there is a need to find a separate or even independent meaning of each sacrament in order to explain their role in the child's life. An infant has tobe baptised as soon as possible in order to wash the original sin and become a member of the Church. When a child becomes capable to distinguish between good and bad, the sacrament of Confession is necessary before the First Communion to forgive the sins and to acquire practice for what is going to be a catholic skill of the whole life to fight human weakness and sins through the sacrament of Penance. At the age of discretion the child receives the First Communion and begins a new stage of meeting Jesus. Finally, at the end of childhood when a young catholic is ready to speak and act for him / herself, reception of the Holy Spirit is celebrated through Confirmation as the climax of sacramental life. [From the publication]