Buried and Raised with Jesus
We have reached the point in the Letter to the Colossians when Paul begins to instruct that Christian community. That instruction carries with it a warning.
The culture of the Mediterranean crescent placed some belief in the spirit world. These people believed that the world was controlled by cosmic powers, spirits, both good and evil. The Gospel frequently speaks of demons that possess and harm those they inhabit. St. Paul reminds the Colossians that now that they have placed their faith in Jesus and in his resurrection, they must leave such thoughts behind. They are not to allow themselves to be enslaved or captured by those who teach that they are servants of the elemental powers of the world. Rather they are to remember that because Jesus has risen from the dead, they share his power over such powers and principalities. Notice that St. Paul does not teach that these powers are nonexistent. Rather he tells them that as Jesus holds dominion over them, they also are able to dominate them. Now we understand why St. Paul began this letter by singing of the preeminence of Christ. That preeminence makes him Lord of all natural powers.
Because we have been baptized into his death, buried in the waters of the baptismal font, we have been raised with him in his Resurrection. Just as Jesus has dominion over all the natural world, we share that power and dominion by virtue of our Baptism.
However, this fact does not remove us from the natural world with all of its allurements and enticements. We must be on guard not to fall prey to them. Although we share in the resurrection of Jesus, we can still fall into sin, we can still fail. Our faith and union with Jesus do not provide a security for us that removes the need to pray, to think, and to be careful and vigilant. Strengthening our union with Christ at this altar means that we have the power and the endurance to deal with and eventually come through the hardships and pains of daily human life.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M.
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