New birth, a new beginning in life

The Baptism of the Lord -Year C

If you ever get the chance to visit my parish, Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Klang, you would notice that the baptismal font has become a permanent fixture in the sanctuary. If you come close and have a look at the baptismal font from the top, you would realised that it takes the shape of an octagon. I think that many Malaysians would easily associate the octagonal shape to the Chinese custom of hanging an octagonal shaped mirror above their door post – it serves the dual purpose of warding off evil entities as well as channelling and welcoming good health and fortune. Well, the shape of the baptismal font doesn’t serve the same function. Thank God!

For Jews the number eight symbolised salvation, rebirth and regeneration: eight members of Noah's family were saved in the time of the Great Flood and it was on the eighth day of his life that a male child was circumcised, signifying his entrance into the covenant family of Israel, the chosen people of God.  But for early Christians eighth came to be associated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the formation of the New Covenant.  Jesus was raised on the day after the seventh day, which was the Sabbath, making Jesus’ Resurrection on the eighth day. Therefore, Sunday, the first day of the week, is also the day of the New Creation just as the old Creation also began on what is the first day of the week.  St Augustine called Sunday, “the Day of the Lord,” as “an everlasting eighth day.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms the significance of the number 8 for Christians in article # 349: “The eighth day.  But for us a new day has dawned: the day of Christ's Resurrection.  The seventh day completes the first creation.  The eight day begins the new creation.  Thus, the work of creation culminates in the greater work of redemption.  The first creation finds its meaning and its summit in the new creation in Christ, the splendour of which surpasses that of the first creation.”

But the resurrection of Christ has not only brought about a new day with its new light. We too have become a new creation. How did this come about? Through the sacrament of baptism and the profession of faith, the Lord has built a bridge across to us, through which the new day reaches us. The Lord says to the newly-baptised: Fiat lux — let there be light. God’s new day — the day of indestructible life, comes also to us. Christ takes you by the hand. From now on you are held by him and walk with him into the light, into real life.

Baptism is something quite different from an act of ecclesial socialisation, from a slightly old-fashioned and complicated rite for receiving people into the Church. It is more than becoming part of a community. Baptism is also more than a simple washing, more than a kind of purification and beautification of the soul. It is a new birth. A new beginning in life. It is a new creation! It is truly death and resurrection, rebirth, transformation to a new life. Therefore, in baptism we experience what St Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!” St Paul can say this with so much conviction because in Baptism we give ourselves over to Christ — he takes us unto himself, so that we no longer live for ourselves, but through him, with him and in him; so that we live with him and thus for others.

Baptism, then, makes us new creatures, it bestows on us the blessings promised to Abraham, it releases us from the slavery of sin and brings us into new life, it brings us into the new wedding covenant between God and his people redeemed in Christ, it quenches our spiritual thirst for God, it gives the wisdom that enlightens our path to God, it purifies us and gives us a new heart and a new spirit, it crucifies our old self and our sinful body and raises us up from the dead, and, finally, it is our share in Christ’s death, in his victory over death and in his resurrection.

Today the church celebrates the baptism of Our Lord. Instead of torrential rains and floods, instead of destructive fire and brimstone, we hear the voice of God the Father and we see a glimpse of the most profound mystery of faith, the innermost centre of God’s life, the manifestation of the Most Holy Trinity. No, not fire and brimstone, not a flood, but a dove, a sign of peace, divine forgiveness and reconciliation. Not a booming voice of God announcing the wrath and judgment of God over sinful humanity but an affirming voice of love and paternal charity. “You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.”

So what did the tearing apart of heaven reveal? First, it revealed that there is no longer an impassable barrier that separates man from God. This the amazing good news that we heard on Christmas day and is now manifested to the world at the Baptism of the Lord. Jesus is the sign of God’s conciliation. He is truly God’s righteous Beloved Son. True God and true man. God in man made manifest. It’s as if Jesus, the Beloved Son, the only one who could truly claim to be free from sin, holy and righteous, now stands in the gap between sinful humanity and a Just God. Instead of seeing the sinfulness of man, the real cause for the separation between God and man, God instead sees his righteous Son, the new Adam. Whatever cause for His divine displeasure and wrath, which is truly just, dissipates. His Beloved Son stands in the gap and shields humanity from the death, judgment and destruction it deserves. For the holy Son of God would take on himself the sins and the guilt of all mankind.

And so at our baptism, when we are united with the death and resurrection of Christ, God removes the barriers separating sinners from him and him from sinners so that mistakes, rebellion, guilt, and shame no longer keep people from God. Instead, we now share in that divine favour of being the beloved ones of God. God does all this because of his Son Jesus.

We’re here today because we know heaven is open. And the good news is that the tear has not been repaired. Heaven’s graces is still leaking, nay, it is still invading this earth. Now heaven is torn open when the heart of a sinner turns from sin to grace. Now heaven is torn open when the Word of God is read. Now heaven is torn open every time a baby or adult is baptised. Heaven is torn open each time we come before the Lord’s altar and receive the body and blood of Jesus in His holy Sacrament. Heaven is open, and God gives us His Holy Spirit. And because Jesus is our Saviour and has washed away our sins and made us His brothers and sisters, our God says about us, “You are My son, or My daughter, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” And when we die, we will truly see heaven torn open as God’s holy angels come down to escort our spirits into His presence – until the day heaven is really torn open, when our Saviour comes in His glory with all His holy angels to judge the earth.