The Power of Baptism and the Proof of the Resurrection – Easter Vigil – Sermon by Father Levine

Fr. Joseph Levine; Holy Family Catholic Church, Burns, Oregon; March 30, 2024

This year we have no baptisms for the Easter Vigil, but the ritual still provides for the blessing or the font and the renewal of baptismal vows. This calls all of us to reflect, in the light of tonight’s liturgy, on the gift of our baptism.

The symbolic background for the whole vigil is the exodus of Israel from Egypt, led by a pillar of fire across the waters of the Red Sea, in which Pharaoh, his chariots and charioteers were destroyed. Tonight we have heard all the readings for the Vigil, but only one reading will be chosen, the crossing of the Red Sea.

The prophetic meaning of the event in the history of Israel is manifest by the Paschal Candle, which represents Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, as a pillar of fire, leading the Christian faithful across the waters of death, which is twofold, death of the body and death of sin, to eternal life.

The “Exultet,” which sings the praises of the Paschal Candle, teaches also the power of baptism, that separates us from the rest of the world.

“This is the night that even now, throughout the world, sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin, leading to grace and joining to his holy ones.

The sanctifying power of this night dispels wickedness, washes faults away, restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to the mourners, drives out hatred, fosters concored, brings down the mighty.”

The darkness of the night stands for the darkness of death, experienced in baptism in the submersion of eyes beneath the water; this is a darkness that leads to light, a death leading to life.

The Exultet speaks of what baptism should produce in our lives; if it fails to do so, the fault is not with baptism, but comes from the obstacles we place in our own life to the grace of baptism.

Next we can turn our attention to the readings of the Old Testament. As we do so, we should recall that the first Christians did not have a New Testament; the Gospel was proclaimed to them using the Old Testament. According to an ancient saying: “the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.” (CCC 129)

The first reading gives us the story of the six days of creation and the seventh day of rest. The original creation was marred by the sin of Adam. Through his resurrection, Christ inaugurates the new creation, which is extended to us through the sacrament of baptism, which makes us to be a new creation in Christ. He leads us to rest in the life of grace, which prepares us for the eighth day of the resurrection of the dead, when the new creation is brought to completion.

Adam had been created in God’s image and likeness. The image of human nature was marred by sin; baptism begins in us the work of restoration. The likeness of grace was lost through sin and is restored through the grace of baptism, which makes us to become truly children of God, sharing in the very life and nature of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Baptism restores to us our rightful dominion over creation, which begins with dominion over ourselves, over the disordered impulses of our own soul.

Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth! Bring the work you began in us through our baptism to completion.

The second reading gives us the history of the sacrifice of Isaac, which is a prophetic sign fulfilled in Jesus Christ, son of Abraham. For the Father did not spare his Son, but gave him up for us all (Rm 8:32) and Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph 5:2) This Christ accomplished upon the Cross, from which baptism, as do all the sacraments, derives all its power. Isaac is sacrificed in intention and yet lives, as a sign of the resurrection from the dead. So baptism gives us to share in the hope of the resurrection and eternal life.

You will show me the path of life, fulness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.

The third reading gives us the history of the Crossing of the Red Sea, to which I have already referred. As Israel was delivered from the power of Pharaoh, and all his army, his chariots and charioteers, so we have been delivered by baptism from the power of the devil and the guilt of sin through which he pursues us. Only, we must not put ourselves back into the power of the devil by giving way again to the life of sin.

I will sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant, horse and rider he has cast into the sea. My strength and courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.

The fourth reading begins to speak to us of the Church as the Bride of Christ and the new Jerusalem. The Catholic Church is the Church of the new and eternal covenant, the covenant of peace that shall never be shaken. The Church is the Bride of Christ, born from the wounded side of Christ asleep on the Cross, as Eve was formed from the side of Adam. Through the redemption he wrought on the Cross, Christ espoused the Church to himself, making her to be his Bride, cleansed by his Blood, holy and immaculate. (cf. Eph 5:25-27) The baptismal font is the womb of the Church from which we have been born as true children of God, established in the justice of Christ, the Son of God. In the Church, our Mother, we receive the teaching of Christ, the teaching of life.

Sing praise to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. … you changed my mourning into dancing; O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks!

The fifth reading invites us to drink of the water of wisdom, the living water that springs up to eternal life (cf. Jn 4:14), the water of the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 7:38-39). Baptism has opened the door for us, but we must avail ourselves of the opportunity, we must make good use of the gift. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. That means we must turn away from the ways and thoughts of sin and seek the ways and thinking of the Lord, which are truly supernatural, as high as the heavens are above the earth. With confidence and trust let us turn to the Lord for mercy, to our God who is generous and forgiving. Then we will draw water with joy from the fountain of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

God indeed is my Savior; I am confident and unafraid … Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name, among the nations make known his deeds.

The sixth reading continues upon the theme of wisdom, the wisdom contained in the commandments of life.

Jesus said, Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Mt 28:19-20) That is one commandment of life. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; he who does not believe shall be condemned. (Mk 16:16)

Jesus said, with regard to the Holy Eucharist, Do this in memory of me. And, Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you have no life in you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. (Jn 6:53-54) There is another commandment of life.

Jesus said, As I have loved you, so must you love one another. (Jn 13:34) All these commandments of life are inseparable one from another and inseparable from Jesus, who has appeared upon the earth and in whose Sacred Heart is enshrined the book of the precepts of God, the law that endures forever.

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple … more precious than gold, than a heap of purest gold; sweeter also than syrup, than honey from the comb.

This has all been summed up for us in the great prophecy of Ezekiel that we heard in the seventh reading.

I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you of all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you hearts of flesh. The stony heart resists God and rebels against his will; the heart of flesh, formed after the pattern of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is docile to every impulse of the Holy Spirit. Such was the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the perfect heart of flesh. And so the prophecy continues: I will put my spirit within you and make you to live by my statutes and observe my decrees … you shall be my people and I shall be your God.

No longer is it I am the Lord your God, who led you out of the land of Egypt (Ex 20:2) but I, Jesus Christ, am the Lord your God, who leads you out of the land of sin and death.

Create a clean heart in me, O God! “Deliver me from sins and give me the power to walk in the way of your commandments.”

So it is that St. Paul teaches us that through baptism we have already shared in the death of Christ, so that we might also come to share in his life. That just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life.

That newness is the life of grace, the life of charity, the life of fidelity to God and obedience to his commandments. That is the power of baptism, if only we are willing to receive its grace in our lives.

The way of sin, even if it appears exciting, fun, or pleasurable, is not the way of life, but the way of death; it is not newness, but makes one old and decrepit in spirit. Lady folly declares, Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant but her house is the dwelling place of the dead and her guests are in the depths of hell. (cf. Proverbs 9:17-18) The way of sin was buried in our baptism; may we never return to it of our own will.

In a few minutes, we will have the opportunity to renew our baptismal vows, to renounce again Satan and the way of sin and to profess our faith in Jesus Christ. Then we shall be fed with the bread of life, the bread of the children of God, the true Body of Christ.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever!

Finally, though, what is the proof of all this? Very simple, Jesus Christ has truly risen from the dead. That is a solid fact; a solid reality. It is the proof that he is truly the Son of God as he taught; it is the proof of all his teaching; it is the proof of his work of redemption; it is the proof of the life of grace; it is the proof of eternal life.  To this day, it is possible to visit Jerusalem, to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and see the empty tomb, to see the place where he was laid.

Christ is risen, alleluia!