How Christianity shapes Human Life
FROM BAPTISM TO DEATH
How Christianity shapes Human Life
Christians are members of the Christian Church because of their baptism. During this ceremony, water is poured upon the person who is baptized – normally an infant. This symbolizes and brings about a spiritual ‘re-birth’, a new life made possible by God’s actions in Christ. Those baptized as children will later on be instructed in religious life by their parents, Christian friends, their church communities and religious instruction at school.
However, also adults who were not baptised as infants, but who have come to believe in Jesus Christ later, ask for baptism. They prepare for their initiation for at least one year, in order to grow in knowledge of and friendship with Jesus Christ and to begin advance in the Christian life and virtues more and more. It is an important part of the process to form a personal relationship with God through prayer and the reading of the Sacred Scriptures, as well as taking part in the religious services of the community. Christians are called to follow the ideal example of Jesus Christ in leading their lives in kindness and in fidelity to his word. Nevertheless, reality shows that Christians do not live up to these ideals. God, however, is faithful to his people, no matter what somebody has done. His love never ends; therefore there is always a possibility to start from scratch. The Bible says that God forgives all debt to those who regret, and make an effort to rectify and try to lead better lives. This process begins in what Christians call ‘Confession’, where the Christian confesses his or her sins to God through a private dialogue with a priest. By means of the priest, God touches the regretting person and helps them to go forward again.
Christianity has many ways to express how God accompanies the daily life. The ways of celebrating Catholic feasts have formed Austrian culture and the lives of the faithful for centuries, from Baptism, to First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and Matrimony, where husband and wife make God a participant of their covenant of marriage – in sickness or health, until death.
Certain people experience that God has called them to dedicate their lives in a special way: as priests (Catholic priests remain unmarried like Jesus Christ in order to dedicate their lives to God alone), or as monks or nuns in religious orders. Also deacons dedicate their lives to God, but remain in their civil occupations and can be married. Priests, deacons, monks and nuns may also be r ecognized by their special clothes.
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Equal Dignity of all Men and Charity as a Mission Christianity has many ways to express how God accompanies the daily life. The ways of celebrating Catholic feasts have formed Austrian culture and the lives of the faithful for centuries. |
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