A few weeks ago, my long time friend and professional mentor Lynn and I were having an in depth conversation about the death of Christ and what happened to him before the Resurrection. The conversation was so good I feel this is how I am to start my blog by sharing our conversation with you.
Carefully read the following passage of scripture: "For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.
And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you-not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him." ( I Peter 3:18-21 RSV-CE )
Are you serious and catch all of that! Our prince of the apostles St Peter is stating that Jesus went into the depths of the earth, or the abode of the dead, for 3 days and preached the Gospel to those who died in the flood and to go as far as clarifying that our baptism is its fulfillment in Christ's Resurrection? Our baptism is the first resurrection! All three events are in a mystical way interwoven together to make a singular event similar to the Pascal Mystery i.e., crucifixion, death, and resurrection, as one mystical event. Jesus had spent 3 years proclaiming his gospel and condensed time to 3 days in the belly of the earth comparing it to the 3 days Jonah spent in the belly of the whale.
On the sacrament and reality of Baptism, I will recommend reading the homily of the 4th century Bishop of Turin, Italy - St Maximus of Turin;
"The savior plunged into the waters....so that...it is not so much the waters of this world that cover the one baptized in the name of the Lord but the waters of Christ that purify him" He goes further to say that Christ had no reason or need of Baptism due to his divine and unblemished nature but it is Christ that sanctifies the waters in order for it to cleanse those who touch it!
"The savior plunged into the waters....so that...it is not so much the waters of this world that cover the one baptized in the name of the Lord but the waters of Christ that purify him" He goes further to say that Christ had no reason or need of Baptism due to his divine and unblemished nature but it is Christ that sanctifies the waters in order for it to cleanse those who touch it!
"The Lord was Baptized, not to be cleansed Himself, but to cleanse the waters, so that the waters, cleansed by the flesh of Christ which knew no sin, might have the power of Baptism"
St Ambrose of Milan-4th Century
Great Doctor of Western Christendom
In closing, let's refer to the document of the II Vatican Council, SacroSanctum Concilium;
"Thus by baptism men are plunged into the paschal mystery of Christ: they die with Him, are buried with Him, and rise with Him; they recieve the spirit of adoption as sons "in which we cry: Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15 )
This is not the language to be seen only as metaphors or symbols but the language of heavenly and spiritual realities displaying the Beauty and Truths of our Lord God.
Peace of Christ be with you all!
