Together with Christ

"For we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4-5).

"With him you were buried with him in baptism, and with him you were also raised by faith in the oder of God who raised him from the dead" (Colossians 2.12).

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3.1).

What we celebrate on this day is the resurrection of Jesus, the central event of all our faith. The crucified one lives; and he lives beyond the power of death. Lazarus rose from the dead; but he would still have to die afterwards. But the resurrection of Jesus is the destruction of death itself.

This Easter Sunday, while celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, we also need to remember that what we celebrate on this day says something about ourselves. It says something beyond the fact that we are to live after this present life. It says something about our condition here and now: that in baptism we have been raised with Christ. Certainly, it is a partial resurrection, a beginning, a foretaste of what is to come. But it is real. We can now experience the newness of life, the beginning of power over sin, the possibility of living beyond the fear of death. It is by faith; and our faith does not always stand firm. It is by the power of God-by the same power that raised Christ-that we too can live from now on as those who have risen with him. Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. But let us not forget that we also celebrate the beginning of our own resurrection.