19 January 2007

Adding on to yesterday's (accidentally sent late in the day) text from Colossians.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to the Christ. (2:8)
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised you from the dead. (2:9-12)

We are a part of the whole body...this incarnation of the God...this dwelling...this God with us. It is a gift that sets us on a new way. The use of the circumcision is actually a good one as he tries to give us a bit of an idea of who we are and how we are marked. We are not marked by a physical cutting of our flesh, we are marked by a physical - a real - life. We put off trusting in the the powers and ways of the world that are so easy to follow and try to promise so much - but can never fulfill those promises. What we now have, is a life that is daily new through our baptism. What we have now is a way to walk and a way to live that goes along the way of Jesus. A spiritual circumcision is not something "other worldly," it is rather something very concrete. The center of our lives are now defined and identified by the Lord who bring a new life. Therefore, we are always invited to look back at the Christ and see the life that marks us. It is a life that comes out of the font and washes us into a fresh existence with a fresh vision that cannot be taken or removed from us.

Connection: Who we are today is marked by the life of the Christ. So...how does that mark show itself as we fumble along in all the things we do?

Lord of New Life and Spirit of renewal, though we are marked with the cross of Christ forever, we continue to wander through these days wondering about how that mark is to manifest itself among us. Continue to inspire us that we may see the life that comes to us through the water of our baptism. Amen.