The Rev. Dan Rondeau
St. Margaret's Episcopal Church & School
Romans 6:3-11 | Matthew 28:1-10
Alicia, Noah, Lily, Jeffrey, and Nina this homily is for you. This night is for you. The story we have shared is soon to be your story. Brothers and sisters in Christ, while I direct my comments to Alicia, Noah, Lily, Jeff, and Nina, soon to be our newest brothers and sisters in Christ, please listen—for I am telling them the truth about us all.
Alicia, believe me when I tell you that Christ died for you. Noah, Christ died for you, believe it. Lily, Christ died for you, and that is the truth. Jeffrey, I am telling you the truth: Christ died for you. Nina, it is true, Christ died for you.
To each of you waiting to be baptized, your name was in the heart and on the lips of Jesus as he made his way to Calvary. Jesus, willingly, lovingly, laid down his life for you—each of you, by name—that day long ago. His love was that great.
It is a priceless family treasure we celebrate this Holy Week and this Holy Night: each family member gathered here, known by name, known in all our successes and all our failures, have come to believe and come to rejoice in the knowledge that Jesus willingly, lovingly, gave his life for us. This is our story begun in creation and recounted for you tonight. Now it is your story, too.
It is personal: Christ died for you. If you were the only one in all of creation the sacrifice would have been made. At the same time it is cosmic: Christ died for all. No one is left out, no one who has been, is now, or will be, is excluded; God's love in Christ is that great. It is good news.
The real celebration, however, the real joy in our gathering is the final word of the story. Life! Abundant life! The "angel said to the women, `Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.'" And before they could even tell anyone, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings! … Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Life! God had the final word then and now and always.
Alicia, believe me when I tell you that Christ rose for you. Noah, Christ rose for you, believe it. Lily, Christ rose for you, and that is the truth. Jeffrey, I am telling you the truth: Christ rose for you. Nina, it is true, Christ rose for you.
Christ has died—for you. Christ is risen—for you. Christ will come again—for you (but that is a story for another night).
It is a second priceless family treasure we celebrate this Holy Week and this Holy Night: each family member gathered here, known by name, known in all our successes and all our failures, have come to believe and come to rejoice in the knowledge that Jesus triumphed over death for us, and gifted us, each of us, with the same promise of life, abundant life, by the grace, power, and glory of God. This is our story begun in creation and recounted for you tonight. Now it is your story, too.
Tonight, as you wait to enter the family through the waters of baptism, I ask you to remember everything about it: the stories, the music, the joy of your brothers and sisters who wait with you to share the victory of Christ with you, the words of the prayers spoken for you and with you, remember it all.
Especially remember the words of our older brother in Christ, a teacher for many of us; remember the words of the Apostle Paul. Did you hear him?
"When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country."
Remember his words as you are baptized tonight. We believe this and we rejoice that we can share this with you.
Did you hear him? "Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life….What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection."
Remember his words as you are baptized tonight. We believe this and we rejoice that we can share this with you.
Did you hear Paul? "Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God."
Remember his words as you are baptized tonight. We believe this and we rejoice that we can share this with you.
You help us recall Paul's words "Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time into God's way of doing things….You're living in the freedom of God."
You have chosen this. We have chosen this. We do our best to live this way, we do our best to share this with you, we welcome you to the family, we welcome this chance to share our joys with you and remember our own baptism, and our own calling to live wholeheartedly and full-time in God's way of doing things.
Alicia, Noah, Lily, Jeffrey, and Nina we are so proud of you. Alicia, Noah, Lily, Jeffrey, and Nina we are bursting with joy for you.
Come, now, we are ready to stand with you as you each receive the precious gift of new life in Christ—a gift prepared for you from the beginning of time and delivered this Holy Night to you.
Come, you beloved of the Father.
Amen.