Baptized into His death

As Lent is a time of self-denial, Easter is a time for rejoicing. The pattern of fast and feast is seen throughout the Church’s liturgical calendar. It is fitting the most penitential day of the liturgical year comes just before the most joyous — Good Friday before Easter.

But even during the Easter Vigil, the New Testament reading from the letter to the Romans brings us back to death and sacrifice. It asks us, “Are you unaware that we who are baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”

 When we renew our baptismal promises during this vigil liturgy, the celebrant reminds us that “through the paschal mystery, we have been buried with Christ in baptism.” We know this scriptural trope well, and with our understanding of the paschal triduum, we recognize that this is not the end of the story. 

Yes, Good Friday gives way to Easter Sunday. In this great fast of Lent, we are called to unite ourselves with Christ’s death and burial. Our sacrifices, whether big or small, offered in prayer to God the Father, bring us into union with Christ’s sacrifice. We must take up our sacrifices with humility, lest we feel humiliated by failing to keep overzealous and extravagant promises. 
One of the Church’s greatest saints, St. Vincent de Paul, directs us: “The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.” 
It is in humility that we have the opportunity to offer a sacrifice we can accomplish this Lent, but also one that stretches us. Come Easter, having united ourselves to Christ’s suffering for 40 days, we make the pivot contained in the readings and prayers of Easter Vigil: “(W)e too might have the newness of life.” (Rom 6:4) 

St. Paul promises in his letter to the Romans, “For if we have grown in union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the Resurrection.” 

I pray that your journey this Lent has helped you grow closer to Christ. And in drawing yourself closer to Him, I hope your Easter celebration will be filled with great joy.