By now we have all washed away the ashes from Wednesday, and are into the personal rituals of Lent that we have chosen for this year. So the church reminds us of this washing in all three of the readings. The most clear explanation of it comes from our reading from first Peter.
The waters of baptism correspond to the waters of the flood at the time of Noah. We are washed clean, as Peter says, not of filth that can be seen on the body, but of the problem of sin. God made a new covenant with Noah and all of creation, and sealed it with his own weapon. The New Covenant from Jesus begins in our own baptisms within each one of us. It becomes an individual covenant, as well as a universal covenant. It is God’s choosing to adopt us as his own children. It is the fullness of the Church, the bride of Christ.
Prior to our baptism, we are just human beings. But after our baptism, we became sacred beings. We became much more than just human beings, we became able to embrace, and be embraced by, the powerful love of God.
Every sacrament, at its heart, has …read more
Source:: Fr. Frank Jindra’s Homily Podcasts
