March 31, 2002

The new life that we celebrate this day recalls that first morning when God created the heavens and the earth. On Easter Morning, God began the work of creation once again by raising Jesus from the dead. We, who live by the light of faith in Christ's resurrected presence, rejoice in that new creation. We also recommit ourselves to helping dispel the darkness in God's world.

Have you ever tried finding a ringing phone in the dark? You fumble for your glasses and tip the cup of water on your nightstand. You stand up and trip over the sleeping cat. You grope for the phone and collide with your spouse. And, the telephone rings on! CHAOS! In many ways, that is how the world operates without the light of faith in Christ. We break and bump and bungle our way through life. It never dawns on us to turn on the light.

In the dark of night at the Easter Vigil, we hear of the first day of creation, when God said "LET THERE BE LIGHT." This was a light that dawned to dispel all chaos and darkness. On Easter Sunday, we hear of the first Easter morning, and also "THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK" when God recreated light. This was the light of the resurrected SON dawning to dispel the darkness and chaos of evil forever. If Christ's resurrection began God's new creation, the community of faith is the work where Christ's light now shines. The newly baptized remind those of us who may have grown tired and forgetful to rejoice and live by the ever-dawning light of faith in Christ.

God's work of recreation is not finished. As we renew our baptismal faith and again feel the baptismal water through which we entered the new creation, we also recommit ourselves to dispelling the darkness and "turning on the light." How can we help recreate the original graced relations god intended on the very first morning of the first creation?

SO THE QUESTION: WHAT DOES RENEWING YOUR BAPTISMAL VOWS MEAN TO YOU?

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