Meditation Archives - Page 13 of 19

Baptism

The Spirit gives life! Another great reflection from my morning prayer The Divine Office taken from a book on the Holy Spirit by Saint Basil the Great, bishop.

Our Lord made a covenant with us through baptism in order to give us eternal life. There is in baptism an image both of death and of life, the water being the symbol of death, the Spirit giving the pledge of life. The association of water and the Spirit is explained by the twofold purpose for which baptism was instituted, namely, to destroy the sin in us so that it could never again give birth to death, and to enable us to live by the Spirit and so win the reward of holiness. The water into which the body enters as into a tomb symbolizes death; the Spirit instills into us his life-giving power, awakening our souls from the death of sin to the life that they had in the beginning. This then is what it means to be born again of water and the Spirit: we die in the water, and we come to life again through the Spirit.

To signify this death and to enlighten the baptized by transmitting to them knowledge of God, the great sacrament of baptism is administered by means of a triple immersion and the invocation of each of the three divine Persons. Whatever grace there is in the water comes not from its own nature but from the presence of the Spirit, since baptism is not a cleansing of the body, but a pledge made to God from a clear conscience.

As a preparation for our life after the resurrection, our Lord tells us in the gospel how we should live here and now. He teaches us to be peaceable, long-suffering, undefiled by desire for pleasure, and detached from worldly wealth. In this way we can achieve, by our own free choice, the kind of life that will be natural in the world to come.

Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, we ascend to the kingdom of heaven, and we are reinstated as adopted sons. Thanks to the Spirit we obtain the right to call God our Father, we become sharers in the grace of Christ, we are called children of light, and we share in everlasting glory. In a word, every blessing is showered upon us, both in this world and the world to come. As we contemplate them even now, like a reflection in a mirror, it is as though we already possessed the good things our faith tells us that we shall one day enjoy. If this is the pledge, what will the perfection be? If these are the first fruits, what will the full harvest be?

God bless you!

Last Supper

Today is Holy Thursday, the first day of the Triduum (three days celebrating the Lord’s passion, death and resurrection – Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Today we recall the Last Supper – when Jesus sat with His apostles to celebrate the Passover. Here He instituted the Eucharist, He foretold of Judas’ betrayal, He revealed to His apostles that His hour had come and humbled Himself in service as He washed their feet.

There is a beautiful tradition in the Catholic Church after mass – the Eucharistic Procession. During the Eucharistic Procession, we are reminded of Jesus’ time in the Garden of Gethsemane and the agony he experienced as He prayed. After the procession, the community is invited to sit in silent prayer and adoration. During this time, I’m reminded of Jesus words to his apostles as they entered the garden: “My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. Remain here and keep watch.” He seeks our company and consolation. He seeks our loyalty, trust and most of all our love.

May today be a holy, meaningful and transformative day for us as we contemplate those words of Jesus. Can we remain “here” – steadfast in faith, hope and love, dedicated to, focused on and thirsting for Jesus, as He thirsts for us? Can we keep “watch” – remaining true and obedient to the will of God, as He was? God bless you!