Based on a chapter called the Final Judgement in Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini’ s book “Piccolo Manuale della Speranza – Vivere con Fiducia il Nostro Tempo” [A Small manual of Hope – Living our lives in Trust]. Giunti Editore S.p.A. Milano, 2012.
All biblical quotations are from ‘The Jerusalem Bible’, Darton, Longman & Todd, London, 1966.
The Christian key words that we are reflecting on make up an itinerary, a journey. One passes from one to the next. So, we have put as the first word ‘Gospel’, which is the revelation of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. Those who accept this Good News, undergo a change in their way of thinking and perspectives that we call ‘conversion’, a new way of seeing realty, circumstances, and others. This new way is characterized by a fundamental mindset: ‘faith’, belief.
Gospel, conversion, faith, are three load-bearing words in Christian experience.
They, nevertheless, pull one to a precise moment in time and in space: the experience of Baptism.
When we hear the word baptism, many of us instinctively think of a long-gone childhood experience. For most Christians, the baptism was an event that happened in their infancy.
However, we make a big mistake if we think of baptism as something infantile or that it is a sort of common denominator of Christian experience, done once and not requiring further thought.
In fact, though, Baptism is the fundamental experience of the Christian.
It is a public act through which a Christian is welcomed into the Church, submitting herself/himself to the power of the Gospel’s message that will change and save him/her.
Whatever happens to us afterwards during our Christian lives is rooted in the baptism, is based on this event at the baptismal font and is the expression of the gifts and possibilities that the baptism opened for us.
Baptism is a quite simple rite. It is carried out by immersion in water or by aspersion with water and the words ‘I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’ Yet, it is the moment in which a Christian makes his life accessible to the Gospel, allowing himself/herself to be moulded and saved by the powerful word of God.
What effects does baptism have? In Mark’s gospel there is an episode that, although at first glance appears to have nothing to do with baptism, was probably used in the primitive church to explain to those preparing to become Christians the transformative effect of baptism. The episode in question is found in chapter 10. While Jesus is nearing Jericho, a blind beggar hears that Jesus is coming by and starts to shout ‘Son of David, Jesus have pity on me’
The evangelist says that many scolded the beggar to make him shut up, “but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me’”.
Jesus stopped and asked his disciples to call the blind man. “‘Courage’ they said, ‘he is calling you’”. He threw away his cloak jumped to his feet and ran to Jesus. Jesus asks him ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
The blind man replied: ‘Master, let me see again’. At this point Jesus says to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’
The blind man sees again and follows Jesus on the road to Jerusalem.
Let us see the significant points in the episode that help us understand the effects of baptism. The blind man underwent a profound change: from blindness to the ability to see. It is a change that opened new possibilities, new horizons to the man, those changes that we have called ‘conversion’.
This change did not happen because of the man’s own merit or effort or his will to improve, but it resulted from his repeated and heartfelt appeal: ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me’.
He recognized the Lord as the messiah with God’s power and as the one who could save him. He acknowledged this power in front of all, publicly. He stood up for his belief even amid the hostility and diffidence around him.
God’s power produced in him this enlightenment (that is how the primitive church referred to baptism).
By means of the baptismal grace, that takes possession of those who abandon themselves to the Lord, a new ability to perceive things and to accept reality as it is, is given to the baptised.
This ability given to all of us who are baptised, which perhaps has remained hidden up to now, is a power that we have but have yet to develop. Any day may be a good day to become conscious of the depth of the baptismal transformation, to reveal the fruits of baptism. It is therefore important to realize that, rather than continuing to believe that baptism is a long past and buried experience, the grace of baptism, its power, still lives in us today and that it is the basis of the choices we make, and of our way of being.
It depends on us whether to accept to revive baptism’s grace and allow ourselves to be renewed by the Lord’s power, to be helped by the one who is always ready to help us.
The necessary and urgent transformation that our society requires originates for us Christians from the baptismal transformation.
As usual we end this meditation with a prayer that expresses the gratitude of one who has experienced the transformative power of God. Extracts from the psalm 138[137]**.
I thank you, Yahweh, with all my heart,
because you have heard what I said.
In the presence of the angels I play for you,
and bow down towards your holy Temple.
I give thanks to your name for your love and faithfulness;
your promise is even greater than your fame.
The day I called for help, you heard me
and you increased my strength.
** There are 150 psalms, numbered from 1 to 150. Regrettably, the Jewish and Christians numbering systems differ from psalm 9 onwards. This is because some psalms are merged in one system and not in the other. That is why you will see 2 numbers for each quoted psalm with a number higher than 9.