Bohan speaks on baptism
By Frank Flegel
REGINA — We have lost some of the wonder of the sacraments, said Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan to a Sept. 12 Resurrection Parish audience.
Bohan was the first to speak in what will be a monthly lecture series organized by the parish’s Spiritual Development Committee. He chose baptism and in a 45-minute address analyzed the meaning of baptism and in the process revealed some of its wonder.
“It is the doorway to all other sacraments,” he said, “It helps us understand who we are.” It is all about love and a relationship with God. He talked about the familiar symbols of baptism, water and the Word and freeing us from sin, but he went further, explaining it is also about God’s love for us and his gift to us of the world and all that is in it.
“Love obviously means trust,” he said, but sometimes it’s really hard to trust God.
He used the example of Adam and Eve. The devil came along, told them not to listen to God, not to trust him; go ahead and eat the apple and you will be like God, you don’t need him.
“That’s still around today,” said the archbishop. He referred to the recent discovery of the Higgs Boson particle, nicknamed the God particle.
“Now we understand how the world was created, say the scientists. People want to be like God. We don’t need you. All we need is ourselves.”
He pointed out that once Adam and Eve rejected God, what God had desired in his creation was destroyed. His punishment included death, among other things. It was a cry of distress by God. This was not what God wanted for us, so he tried again with the great flood and Noah, but that didn’t work out either. Then came Jesus.
“Jesus is the perfect love. He gave of himself for us. With his resurrection he will not die. We are recreated in baptism and have eternal life. Our future is life with God forever, not the darkness of death. Only through the power of Jesus’ resurrection is death defeated.”
In baptism we become totally one with Christ. We are made one with him.
Baptism is the creation of the world. “This is the life intended
back with Adam and Eve,” said Bohan. “It is continued in
communion. Our Sunday eucharist is the price of eternal life for us.”
For all of this we need to say thanks and stewardship, the way we live our lives, is the way we say thanks to God. “It is important for us to understand that about baptism.”
A wine and cheese reception followed the lecture.
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