Were we baptized, or are we baptized? How we answer makes all the difference, for being baptized is not a one-off event but a manner of living. To say, “we are baptized,” is an acknowledgement that baptism is the beginning of a life process and not a guarantee of salvation. We must persevere to the end. Do not be amazed at this. Let’s be honest with ourselves: when it comes to living in imitation of Christ; of being His herald in today’s culture, are we really up to the task? Do we treat it as a given that we are going to heaven?
Persevering to the end is possible only by identifying anything that blocks us from living out our baptism, and seeing that Christ is the only One who can remove such obstacles. It was so for the women who approached Christ’s tomb on Easter morning: ”Who will roll back the stone for us?” The stone across the entrance to Christ’s tomb is symbolic of all that blocks our way to baptismal living. Such a stone might be different for each of us, but for all of us that stone is very large.
When the women came to the tomb, they found the stone had already been rolled away. All they needed to do was enter the tomb. To enter the tomb is to enter into Christ’s death and thus go through that transformative process of which He is the trailblazer, a process that leads to resurrection and thus a new and glorious life. That’s baptism.
”Do not be amazed”, a young man sitting on the right side of the empty tomb says to the women. Having entered the tomb and been utterly amazed at what they saw, the women were tasked with a mission to “Go and tell” what had happened. We see that being baptized is not a passive experience, but a proactive one.
“Go and tell.” We are to tell of Christ crucified and risen; we are to testify to the empty tomb. Think of how many would benefit from our witness: “I am saved; I am being saved.” We must live our baptism. Do not be amazed at this; let us persevere to the end.
David J. Conrad
Persevering to the end is possible only by identifying anything that blocks us from living out our baptism, and seeing that Christ is the only One who can remove such obstacles. It was so for the women who approached Christ’s tomb on Easter morning: ”Who will roll back the stone for us?” The stone across the entrance to Christ’s tomb is symbolic of all that blocks our way to baptismal living. Such a stone might be different for each of us, but for all of us that stone is very large.
When the women came to the tomb, they found the stone had already been rolled away. All they needed to do was enter the tomb. To enter the tomb is to enter into Christ’s death and thus go through that transformative process of which He is the trailblazer, a process that leads to resurrection and thus a new and glorious life. That’s baptism.
”Do not be amazed”, a young man sitting on the right side of the empty tomb says to the women. Having entered the tomb and been utterly amazed at what they saw, the women were tasked with a mission to “Go and tell” what had happened. We see that being baptized is not a passive experience, but a proactive one.
“Go and tell.” We are to tell of Christ crucified and risen; we are to testify to the empty tomb. Think of how many would benefit from our witness: “I am saved; I am being saved.” We must live our baptism. Do not be amazed at this; let us persevere to the end.
David J. Conrad
RSS Feed
