Implications
“As we were baptized, so we profess our belief. As we profess our belief, so also we offer praise. As then baptism has been given us by the Savior, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, so, in accordance with our baptism, we make the confession of the creed, and our doxology in accordance with our creed.” ~ Saint Basil
St. Basil does not pull any punches. Neither does the Church. We are baptized for a critical reason. It is not to join an elite club. It is not to garner prizes. It is not for any kind of human recognition. It is so that we could become a son or daughter of God, immerse ourselves in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and live the profession of our faith to its fullest.
When Jesus submitted Himself to baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, He desired to fulfill the prophecies regarding Him. John the Baptist knew that Jesus did not need to be baptized, that Jesus was, indeed, the giver of baptism. However, John acquiesced to Jesus’ instructions and baptized Him. Thus began Jesus’ public ministry.
Our public life in the Church began at our own baptisms. At that moment, the stain of original sin was washed clean of our souls so that we would have the opportunity one day to return to God after our mortal death here on earth. Our baptism also gave us great responsibility. We are charged with proclaiming the Good News of the Lord so that we can win over as many as possible in our day.
The waters of baptism are given freely for all people. Not all people want them, however. Nor do all people know about them. That is why we have to become just as public in our faith as Jesus was in His. We need to make sure that all people have, at least, the chance to hear about Jesus’ life-saving love so that they can have the choice to turn their lives over to Him.
We were baptized in the faith. Our parents and godparents accepted the responsibility of raising us in the faith. Most of us took the initiative to embrace the demands of the faith on our own when we were confirmed. Now, we need to do more than talk about it. We need to live it.
The profession of the creed is more than words. It is a reminder of how we are to live our lives each day.
FAITH ACTION: Reflect upon the words of the Creed today and accept the responsibility to live life to its fullest in the name of Jesus Christ.