April 24, 2017: Monday, 2nd week, Easter
Homily of Fr. Gerardo Galaviz
An important part of the Easter Vigil is the celebration of Baptism, a memorial of the Passover, a step from death to life. The solemn blessing of water and the renewal of baptismal promises are key points. On that holy night, all over the world, the Church increases the number of her members.
In baptism we're immersed in water (symbol of death) and emerge from water (symbol of new life). We're submerged in death and come out renewed. This is what Jesus talks about in today’s gospel: being "born from above" or "born again." This is “to be born of water” or “to be born of the Spirit.” Water and Spirit are the symbols Jesus used for the Spirit's action of purifying, giving life, encouraging, and creating new Christians.
Easter is time of renewal, a time to start again in the risen Lord, a time to reflect on who we are as baptized Christians and what we need to do to implement our baptism. Our work in this sacred time is to be open to the Holy Spirit, remove the obstacles, and realize how much we need the Spirit's power to transform us.
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