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Die and become!
Where new life develops, old must die. John passes on a meaningful metaphor (12,24): Unless
a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if
it dies it produces many seeds.” Before new life can grow there is the death of the
old kernel of wheat. Over and over again and at many places life implements itself in accordance
with this law: die and become! Every evening a day dies into the night; and yet the night
is only the beginning of a new day. Or the days of a peaceful childhood come to an end
giving space for the turbulent youth. Baptism and the associations of rebirth that
connected with it are singular events. Baptism therefore is a singular die and become. But
Christians have a living spirit which is constantly acting. Now, how can the transformation that
comes with baptism be perceived as singular and at the same time continuous? I will use
a familiar Biblical metaphor. *** long as one stands in the light he has orientation
and radiates confidence. But if instead he stands in the shade, yes even in darkness
life turns dark for him. Fears and anxieties spread!
In the same way everything depends on the light of the spirit. If the spirit of love
shines upon me I can radiate strength and warmth. But if I happen to enter the shadow
of love God will appear for me as removed, and it will turn dark within me and around
me. Men can be both as Luther teaches: old Adam, respectively old Eve or a “new human
in innocent justice and bliss”! But which of the two is he, a being of light or a dark
friend, angel or devil? That alone is decided by whether he stays in the light or in the
darkness. The old ones used an excellent comparison:
A baptized is like a house which has the window shutters closed on a bright day. Not a single
beam of light can penetrate towards inside. Despite the bright sun inside it is dark.
Like this the baptized stand in the midst of the divine love but his innermost is not
touched by it. Only when he opens the shutters from within the light of the divine love will
flood him and transform him from within. That is believing and in this way baptism realizes
itself through daily renewal!