On this day, 15 Bashans 1742, we reflect on the sacrament of baptism, through which we receive new life in Christ. As the Coptic Orthodox Church teaches, baptism is not just a ritual, but a mystical death and resurrection, where we die to sin and rise to eternal life.

As St. Paul writes in Romans 6:4,

we were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
This newness of life is not just a moral improvement, but a radical transformation, where we become partakers of the divine nature, as St. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:4.

The Meaning of Baptism

In the Coptic Church, baptism is seen as a sacrament that unites us to Christ, making us members of His body, the Church. Through baptism, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us and guides us on our journey towards holiness.

As we are baptized, we are immersed in the water, symbolizing our death to sin and our burial with Christ. As we come out of the water, we are raised to new life, symbolizing our resurrection with Christ. This is not just a symbolic act, but a real participation in the death and resurrection of Christ, as the Church Fathers teach.

As Pope Shenouda III writes,

baptism is the door to the Church, and through it, we enter into the kingdom of God.
Through baptism, we become citizens of heaven, and our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Living the New Life

As we live out our baptismal vows, we are called to walk in newness of life, as St. Paul writes in Romans 6:4. This means that we are to live a life of obedience to God's commandments, of love for our neighbors, and of service to the poor and the needy.

As Fr. Tadros Malaty writes,

the Christian life is a life of struggle, but it is also a life of joy and peace, for we know that we are not alone, but are accompanied by the Holy Spirit, who guides and strengthens us.
Through baptism, we receive the power to live this new life, and to become the light of the world, as our Lord Jesus Christ teaches in Matthew 5:14.

As we reflect on the meaning of baptism, let us remember the words of St. Paul,

for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
May we live out our baptismal vows, and may we always remember that we are clothed with Christ, and that we are called to live a life worthy of our calling.

May the prayer of St. Cyril of Alexandria be our prayer,

Lord, have mercy on us, and grant us the power to live according to Your will, that we may be worthy of the gift of baptism, and may we always remember the love that You have shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.