Baptism

"Jesus' Baptism anticipated his death on the Cross, and the heavenly voice proclaimed an anticipation of the Resurrection. These anticipations have now become reality. John's baptism with water has received its full meaning through the Baptism of Jesus' own life and death. To accept the invitation to be baptized now means to go to the place of Jesus' Baptism. It is to go where he identifies himself with us and to receive there our identification with him. The point where he anticipates death has now become the point where we anticipate rising again with him."
-Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth

I first read these words a couple weeks ago while I was in a car driving back to my beloved Winnipeg with some good dudes. In many ways these words on baptism are highly complex, loaded with much theology, but at the same time there is something profoundly simple about them. Through baptism Christ has identified himself with us and through baptism we accept this identifying with us. It is a beautiful thing to hear that God loves humanity enough to identify with her. In identifying with humanity Christ takes on death and arises as victorious. I look forward to the day when we will rise with Christ. I am sick of people dying of things like cancer. I have a strong longing for that day when the mystery of the Kingdom of God and this resurrection that is promised comes to be reality rather than mysterious promise.