Fire and Water
Fire and Water. We live, or we die, by fire and water. Without fire’s warmth and light—the sun, and the fuels the sun has given us to burn on earth—life quickly becomes cold and grey; without the cleansing and hydrating properties of water, life quickly dries up and corrupts.
But while we cannot live without these two elements, fire and water can even more quickly kill. Last month in Japan, tsunamis drowned 20,000 people in an instant; the resulting nuclear fires in the Fukushima reactor threatened to kill thousands more. In our country, someone dies by fire every two hours, and in our world, drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death.
Fire and Water. We live, or we die, by fire and water. Without fire’s warmth and light—the sun, and the fuels the sun has given us to burn on earth—life quickly becomes cold and grey; without the cleansing and hydrating properties of water, life quickly dries up and corrupts.
But while we cannot live without these two elements, fire and water can even more quickly kill. Last month in Japan, tsunamis drowned 20,000 people in an instant; the resulting nuclear fires in the Fukushima reactor threatened to kill thousands more. In our country, someone dies by fire every two hours, and in our world, drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death.
Easter is essentially a feast of Fire and Water. The paschal candle’s flame signifies Jesus, the light of the world, who declared his burning desire to light a fire on earth. The cruciform baptismal font also signifies the Lord Jesus, who cried out in Jerusalem, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink; rivers of living water will flow from him.”
Nine Readings
At the Easter Vigil, nine Scripture Readings take us from creation, sweep through salvation history, and bring us to the recreation of the world in Christ’s Resurrection. Fire and water figure in all nine readings. In Genesis, God created both the sun and the vast waters. Abraham takes fire for a burnt offering; the Israelites leave Egypt, protected from Pharaoh’s army by a column of fire, and pass through the waters of the Red Sea. Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Baruch call out: all who are thirsty, come to the water! With Him is the fountain of wisdom. He will sprinkle clean water upon you. St. Paul speaks of baptism, a Greek word that means “total immersion.” Jesus calls Mary Magdalene to the empty tomb as day is dawning. The same fiery sun that God created in Genesis dawns now over Christ’s resurrection, heralding the recreation of the world in the order of grace.
Baptism in the Red Sea
These readings speak of a consuming fire: God’s ardent love. They speak of vast waters: rivers of grace and oceans of mercy. In particular, the reading from Exodus portrays the Baptism of Israel’s children. In passing through the Red Sea, they “die,” in the sense of a complete transformation. No one can pass through these vast waters and remain what he was. They are thoroughly submerged into Him, and they come out the other side recreated. A rabble of 600,000 slaves has become One Nation under God, his Chosen People.
The Egyptians passed through the same waters, but without faith. The waters killed them, and not one of them survived. To those who trust and believe, fire and water will not harm us. It only makes us stronger, in Christ. No fire can burn us, no water can drown us, once we have been immersed in His waters, and purified by His ardent love. No regrets about what life might have been, no tragic loss of love or life, not even death, can destroy us, if we believe.
And yet those 600,000 Israelites who passed through the Red Sea were not made perfect. Saved, but not perfect. They would spend 40 more years wandering in the desert, sometimes complaining, often wanting to return to Egypt, and at least once at the point of killing Moses. We who have been baptized still have a long journey to make. Our faith will be tested; our patience at times worn out; and some of us will fall in the desert, until someone picks us up, if we let them.
Joy and Determination: never forget your dignity
Jesus Christ’s resurrection, and his gift of baptism, draw two responses on this Easter Night: joy at His most sublime gift, and determination to keep our baptismal promises. Never let the world stifle the joy of this night. Never let the world defeat your determination to give yourselves to Him as disciples. You are Catholics now. You will attend Mass (at least) every Sunday; you will make a good confession once a month; you will study the Scriptures assiduously; you will pray to God many times a day, especially through his Blessed Mother in the rosary. You will testify to his Lordship in how you run your businesses, in how you vote, in how you lead your families, in what you watch on TV and in which people you call friends. You are Catholics now. You are bearers of the fire and of the water. Never forget your dignity, given and sustained by God himself.
Nine Readings
At the Easter Vigil, nine Scripture Readings take us from creation, sweep through salvation history, and bring us to the recreation of the world in Christ’s Resurrection. Fire and water figure in all nine readings. In Genesis, God created both the sun and the vast waters. Abraham takes fire for a burnt offering; the Israelites leave Egypt, protected from Pharaoh’s army by a column of fire, and pass through the waters of the Red Sea. Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Baruch call out: all who are thirsty, come to the water! With Him is the fountain of wisdom. He will sprinkle clean water upon you. St. Paul speaks of baptism, a Greek word that means “total immersion.” Jesus calls Mary Magdalene to the empty tomb as day is dawning. The same fiery sun that God created in Genesis dawns now over Christ’s resurrection, heralding the recreation of the world in the order of grace.
Baptism in the Red Sea
These readings speak of a consuming fire: God’s ardent love. They speak of vast waters: rivers of grace and oceans of mercy. In particular, the reading from Exodus portrays the Baptism of Israel’s children. In passing through the Red Sea, they “die,” in the sense of a complete transformation. No one can pass through these vast waters and remain what he was. They are thoroughly submerged into Him, and they come out the other side recreated. A rabble of 600,000 slaves has become One Nation under God, his Chosen People.
The Egyptians passed through the same waters, but without faith. The waters killed them, and not one of them survived. To those who trust and believe, fire and water will not harm us. It only makes us stronger, in Christ. No fire can burn us, no water can drown us, once we have been immersed in His waters, and purified by His ardent love. No regrets about what life might have been, no tragic loss of love or life, not even death, can destroy us, if we believe.
And yet those 600,000 Israelites who passed through the Red Sea were not made perfect. Saved, but not perfect. They would spend 40 more years wandering in the desert, sometimes complaining, often wanting to return to Egypt, and at least once at the point of killing Moses. We who have been baptized still have a long journey to make. Our faith will be tested; our patience at times worn out; and some of us will fall in the desert, until someone picks us up, if we let them.
Joy and Determination: never forget your dignity
Jesus Christ’s resurrection, and his gift of baptism, draw two responses on this Easter Night: joy at His most sublime gift, and determination to keep our baptismal promises. Never let the world stifle the joy of this night. Never let the world defeat your determination to give yourselves to Him as disciples. You are Catholics now. You will attend Mass (at least) every Sunday; you will make a good confession once a month; you will study the Scriptures assiduously; you will pray to God many times a day, especially through his Blessed Mother in the rosary. You will testify to his Lordship in how you run your businesses, in how you vote, in how you lead your families, in what you watch on TV and in which people you call friends. You are Catholics now. You are bearers of the fire and of the water. Never forget your dignity, given and sustained by God himself.
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