9781644135945

The Light of the World
of you as have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ” (Gal 3:27), not like a garment, exteriorly,
but interiorly. “I am the vine, you the branches” ( Jn 15:5). Within His Church He will
continue to live in each Christian by transmitting to them His spirit, His purity, His devotion
to the Father, His life of humility and prayer.
If we would conform ourselves to God’s plan, we must die to sin once and for all. Since,
unfortunately, we can through our own fault relapse into the death of sin, a strict asceticism
is necessary. The purpose of such an asceticism is to foster the growth of the seed planted in
our soul in baptism. Christian life is merely the continuation of that life implanted in us at our
baptism. We must continue to die to sin and live to Christ. The liturgy especially helps us attain
this end. Associating us daily, during the Sacrifice of the Mass, with the life and death of Christ,
the liturgy urges us to “be renewed in the spirit.”
In heaven we shall be perfectly free from sin, from death and sorrow, and we shall see the
full growth of the seed of grace planted in our hearts at baptism.
Prayer
Perfect Thou my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps be not moved. Incline Thy ear, and
hear my words; show forth Thy wonderful mercies, Thou who savest them that trust in Thee,
O Lord. (Offertory.)
Thursday
“We are baptized in Christ Jesus” (Epistle). We are, to use the vigorous language of the Apostle,
immersed in the person of Christ our Lord, and are thus intimately associated with the life of
Christ. We have been lifted up to become partakers of the life of Christ and His mystical body.
This inscrutable mystery initiates us into the Christian life.
Baptism is the one supremely important event in the life of the individual Christian and
compares in importance with the Incarnation of the Son of God with regard to humanity
as a whole. This work of God, applied to us in baptism, laid the foundation stone of “God’s
building” within us (1 Cor 3:9). Whatever we achieve in our struggle toward perfection, is
very slight compared to this work of God. The task, however, proposed to us by God’s salvific
will, is of an immense importance. Baptism places the Christian under the strictest obligation
of striving after Christian perfection. It binds us personally to strive for salvation, and leaves
us no alternative. Baptism, correctly understood and fully appreciated, offers us a motive for
striving after perfection which surpasses all others in power or value. It forms the starting point
for our Christian struggle and Christian life, points out the direction, and governs and directs
our entire Christian life. “So do you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive
to God, in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Epistle).
Baptism gives birth to Christ in our hearts. Although it is a transitory act, it establishes
an enduring spiritual relationship between us and Christ in His mystical body, His
holy Church. The grace of baptism is the greatest of all graces, and it urges us to cultivate
the union with Christ which was established at baptism. We must exert ourselves daily
to perfect our union with Him, gratefully and joyfully acknowledging His divine guidance.
How is this to be done? We must die to sin and live to God in Christ Jesus. Most
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