Daily Journey Through the Great Fast With the Early ChurchSample

When you are immersed in the waters of Baptism three times (once in the name of the Father, once in the name of the Son, and once in the name of the Holy Spirit) you emerge to a new life. As Jesus rose again on the third day, after the third immersion you also arise with Him - your baptism means nothing more than getting wet unless it points to the death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Your baptism means nothing more than water if it does not point to the Baptism of the Cross and the blood that was shed on it for all mankind.

Baptism is our entry into the family of Christ and, as we said, is necessary for salvation. What is equally necessary after our baptism is to be obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ. We must strive to live a life according to the Holy Spirit inspired teachings of the Holy Orthodox Church. As believers, without effort on our part to be obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ, we will not be saved, regardless of our baptism. If we daily choose to live a life apart from Christ, a life of the world, then we have effectively made our death with Him, through Baptism, of no meaning...we ourselves choose to be dead to Him, not to be dead and risen with Him.

The arena of life is where we, as believers, struggle against temptations and sins, where we fight the powers of darkness, where we wrestle with our desires and wills and is also where we receive a life with Christ and mentoring directly from God, should we be obedient to His instruction. St. John Chrysostom says the arena of the Colosseum is where St. Ignatius was thrown into and devoured by the lions, thus receiving the crown of martyrdom, “the crown of life” (James 1:12, Revelation 2:10). Should we choose to struggle in this life for the sake of Christ, being obedient to Him and His teachings, then we too shall receive the crowns of life when we depart to be with Him. If we die to ourselves and our passions, die to the world and its desires, we too shall receive the crowns of martyrdom.

After the Sacrament of Baptism, the Holy Orthodox Church teaches us everything we need to know to work out the salvation of our souls, with “fear and trembling” [Philippians 2:12]. In this arena we witness great victories and also experience major setbacks, times of inexplicable joy and times of overwhelming sadness. Life after Baptism is to keep praying, keep the fasts of the Church, attend the Divine Liturgy and partake of the Holy Eucharist as often as we can (not just Sundays if it is in our ability to do so) - to be obedient. We are given, for this life after Baptism, the Most Precious Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, to help us to continue the struggle, to continue to be worthy of the baptismal garments we were entrusted with at the time of our death and Resurrection with Jesus.

During this period of Lent, may God grant us the grace to continue in our struggles against the powers of evil and to wrestle in laying aside our desires and sins but rather to lay hold of His promises and His abundant riches in this life after our first Baptism. May we learn true obedience from God Himself, who “became obedient tothe point ofdeath, even the death of the cross.” [Philippians 2:8]

“May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of limbs - let them come to me, provided only I make my way to Jesus Christ.” [St. Ignatius of Antioch, 2nd century writer and Bishop of Antioch, known as “Ignatius the God-bearer”]

“Be obedient in everything. For the sons of obedience are blessed.” [St. Pope Kyrillos VI, 116th Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, a “man of prayer and miracles” who departed to the Lord in 1971]