Where do Catholics learn about the Word of God?
Earlier this year, we went through our annual first aid and CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) training. And, for the hundredth time, they mentioned a concept which I had heard before, but which I hadn’t connected to our faith before.
Implied Consent
Implied Consent, is the assumption, that a person who is injured but incapacitated and incapable of communicating his desires, will reasonably prefer to be saved than to be left unaided.
A person who is unconscious, yet bleeding, would reasonably prefer that someone might stop him from bleeding to death.
A person who is unconscious, and having trouble breathing, would want someone to help him breathe.
If someone is unconscious and his heart stops beating, would want someone to help revive him.
Do those assumptions sound reasonable to you? They do to me.
Baptism
Baptism is, in a metaphorical sense, Spiritual CPR. It goes beyond ordinary bandaids and aspirins because we aren’t born with a small scrape on our soul. We are born in spiritual death. Our souls do not come to life until we are washed in God’s Sanctifying Grace of God. Baptism is God’s CPR on our soul.
Who wouldn’t want that?
Who wouldn’t want to be washed in God’s grace?
Who wouldn’t want to be joined to the body of Christ?
Who wouldn’t want to be one of God’s children?
Who wouldn’t want eternal salvation?
Scripture alone vs the Wisdom of God
People who believe in the doctrine of Scripture alone, deny these truths because they don’t see them explicit in Scripture. But we don’t need Scripture in order to see the Wisdom of God
which is taught and practiced by the Catholic Church.
In Short
We love our children and we want them to be saved. And we can reasonably assume that they will want to live in heaven with God for eternity. Therefore, we, like the good Samaritan, should assume that our children will want to be Baptized, in order that their souls may come to life and be born again in the newness of the life of Christ.