ON BEING BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST (2)

ON BEING BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST (2)

Romans 6:3-4

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Breathe in all that is of God and from God…all that is true, honest, pure, admirable, noble, decent, virtuous, worthy of praise, good, loving, kind – all that deserves respect..

Breathe out all that is not of God and from God……..

Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in quietness, stillness and serenity.

Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence – Solitude…to just being here and now, without having to accomplish something.

Now I invite you to consecrate your time and all that come with this moment….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

Our last meditation was on being identified with Christ in baptism. Our baptism brings us into solidarity with Christ and with him into solidarity with all people of God as brothers and sisters.

We are identified and affirmed as “sons of God” and empowered with the Holy Spirit to live as sons of God and to fulfill the mission entrusted to us.

In Baptism we are immersed into the mystery of love, God’s love. We are washed clean, given a clean garment, a lighted candle and anointed priest, prophet and king….all symbolizing our character….an indelible character!!!

You are anointed priest, prophet and king…How awesome!

Abide in these thoughts for some time

To be anointed is to be set apart, consecrated…..to be set apart for sacred use in prayer, in sacrifice, in worship, in the service of God….to be separated from other common things used for common purposes.

Anointing with oil, after cleansing/washing, signifies separating, protecting, safe-guarding – separated for and safe-guarded from…….The oil that is used for this anointing is also separated, set aside and not used for any other purpose.

Anointing is also a way of “refreshing and invigorating”, an act of hospitality. One of the reasons for anointing with oil was to trap dirt on the surface of the skin so that it did not get into the pores so it was easier to wash off the dirt….reflect on what this means!

Anointing with oil was also done for healing of wounds. In recent times, many have associated anointing with conferring of power. This idea comes from Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit comes and gives power. To understand it as being empowered does make sense, but to see it as being given power is wrong interpretation.

Take a moment now and consecrate your time and all that come with this moment….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Reflect on being anointed priest at your baptism as Jesus was……..How does it feel at this time as you reflect on being anointed?

Many thoughts and insights come to me as I reflect on being anointed. Thoughts of atonement, sacrifice and oblation, self-sacrifice and total giving and much more.

Searching through the Scriptures and reflecting on the priesthood beginning with Aaron, what stands out as the most basic purpose of the priesthood is “sanctification” – the sanctification of the priest himself and the people of God.

Sanctification, could be described (though inadequately) as making of a saint. It is a process of growing and helping others in holiness….to be restored to our dignity, to our true identity.

St. Paul says, to our true citizenship: “You are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God – being built to become a dwelling place for God in the spirit” (Eph.2:19-22)

We are anointed priest, at our baptism, to participate in this process: to facilitate our own growth in holiness and that of others. Our baptismal call is a call to holiness, “You are fellow citizens of the saints…”

This implies a call to ongoing conversion of life. We participate in the priesthood of Christ when we facilitate our own conversion and that of others.

Growth in holiness means forgiveness, healing and reconciliation. All we do for forgiveness, healing and reconciliation for ourselves and others is a participation in the priesthood of Christ.

Growth in holiness means self-sacrifice, self-gift and eventually total giving. The priest of the ancient days sacrificed bulls and goats for atonement. Jesus sacrificed himself for redemption. We participate in his priesthood by our self-gift, by living self-sacrificing lives……

Jesus took bread, broke it and said: “do this in remembrance of me”….to do what he did, not just remember the words. What he did was break bread, break himself and give himself. We are anointed priests to break ourselves and give ourselves to one another.

Jesus took the cup, blessed it, shared it and said: “this is my blood”…this is my life, I our this out for you……I empty myself for you. We are anointed priests so that we may pour our lives out for one another.

Take a moment now and consecrate your time again and all that come with this moment….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words……

Reflect on being anointed priest at your baptism as Jesus was……..How does it feel at this time as you reflect on being anointed?

Remember: to be anointed it to be set apart, to be separated, to be safe-guarded, to be protected, to be refreshed, invigorated and to be empowered…….

Pope Benedict in his call for the year of priests underlined the necessary and “indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every authentically priestly heart.” This applies to all who share in the priesthood of Christ.

Our Baptismal call is not just for membership in an organized Church. We baptized into Christ. St. Paul tells us, “Are you not aware that we who are baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Through baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, we too might live a new life….our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body may be destroyed……to live with him….will never die…dead to sin and alive for God” (Romans 6:3-11)

May God help you live out more fully your anointing to share in the priesthood of Christ.

This is my prayer for you today:

May you continue to be remarkable signs of hope!

May you fearlessly dream, speak, stand and work for justice and peace!

May you make no peace with oppression, injustice, violence or war!

May you strive to be shining witnesses of reconciliation, harmony and peace!

May you reach across boundaries and barriers to form community with all people!

And may God who has loved you without measure fill you with blessings and grace and the experience of the joyful communion of the saints of God……..

Abide in this prayer for some time

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs