Swear To God
March 27, 2024
Fr. John Riccardo
Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory
In just a few short days, untold numbers of men, women and children across the globe are going to be baptized into Jesus’ death and rise to new life with Him. The highlight of the Easter Vigil is when those who have been preparing for many months now are transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (cf. Col 1:13). This is no mere ceremony. Something really happens to a person when he gets baptized. He gets a new “spiritual passport.”
Before entering the water, those to be baptized are asked a series of questions, to which – like those seated in emergency exit rows on airplanes – they must answer in the affirmative out loud.
“Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?”
Shortly after the baptismal celebrations at the Vigil (and on Easter Sunday for those who do not attend the Vigil), all those present are invited to renew their baptismal promises. The same questions are posed to them and they, too, are invited to respond “I do!” The operative word there is “invited.” Only if they are willing should they say, “I do!” And only if they mean it.
This ceremony traces many of its origins back to the Roman Legion. A man became a Legionary in a formal ceremony. By means of this ceremony the man’s status changed; he was no longer a civilian but a member of the Legion. At the center of the ceremony was a solemn oath. The oath was one of fidelity – allegiance – unto death to the Emperor, and was sworn before the “standard” (or flag) of the Legion. It was renewed each year, usually on the occasion of the accession of the Emperor, that is, on the anniversary of his coming into power.
The ceremony was called a sacramentum.
By now this should all sound very familiar. When the early Church was looking for a word that best encapsulated what happened at baptism it drew on this ceremony of the Roman Legion. Indeed, what happens in baptism is truly a change of identity, far more so than the transition from civilian to Legionary.
In a few short days we are going to celebrate the anniversary of the coming into power of the true Emperor, the true King and only Lord of heaven and earth, the Conqueror of Sin, Death and Satan: Jesus. On this day, just as in the days of old in the Roman Empire, we are going to be invited to renew our pledge of allegiance to Him before the “standard” of the cross. But only if we want to. It cannot be forced. No one can become Christian by birth. Nor can we become Christian because our parents were. Nor can we become Christian by baptism alone, without a declaration of faith. I can only become Christian by a free choice, a personal decision that nobody else can make for me. Part and parcel of this choice, this decision, is the acknowledgement that all we profess in the Creed is true. Involved also in this choice is a promise of loyalty to the King; we are swearing an oath that is a public profession of Jesus as Lord – and not anyone else, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent. Finally, it is a commitment to cooperate with the grace of the Holy Spirit in our bodies to live faithfully to all that Jesus has commanded. Will we struggle and fall afterwards? Almost assuredly – I do time and time again. But there’s a big difference between struggling and remaining defiantly opposed to how the Lord calls us to live. And, as Monsignor James Shea from The University of Mary is fond of repeating, so long as we never give up, so long as we never quit, so long as we always keep trying and ask the Lord’s forgiveness, we always win.
As we enter into these holiest of days, let us do so fully aware of what we’re celebrating: Jesus has triumphed over Death, Sin and Satan. And let us take seriously the questions we will be asked and the words with which we will respond.
ACTS XXIX Prayer Intentions
March 2024
For the ordained and lay leaders who will be joining us for a Leadership Immersive on our campus.
For our mission with the priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
For all those running The Rescue Project in parishes and homes across the world.
For the Rescue LIVE Revival planning team in Vancouver, BC.
For God's protection upon Fr. John Riccardo, our team and our families.
For the various publishing projects underway with our ACTS XXIX press.