Vigils Reading

THE WATERS OF REGENERATION

From a sermon by St Ambrose

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What is regeneration? You can read in the Acts of the Apostles a verse

which is cited from the second psalm: “You are my son, I have begotten you

today”. The words seem to refer to the resurrection. Indeed, the holy apostle

Peter interprets them in this way in the Acts of the Apostles: when the Son rose

from the dead the Father’s voice was heard proclaiming: “You are my son, I have

begotten you today.” That is why he is also called “the first-born from the dead.

For what is resurrection except that we rise from death to life? So it is in baptism,

which is an image of death: when you are immersed and rise up again, there,

certainly, is an image of the resurrection. And as Christ’s resurrection, according

to the right interpretation of the apostle Peter, is a regeneration, so also this

resurrection here is a regeneration.

But what conclusions do you draw from the fact that it is in water that you

are immersed. Are you a little lost here? Does some doubt creep in. We read:

“Let the earth produce for herself fruits which germinate.” You have read the

same about the waters: “Let the waters produce living things; and living things

were born”. These were born in the beginning, at the creation; but this gift was

kept for you: that the waters should regenerate you in grace, even as those other

waters generated into life. Imitate the fish; it received a lesser grace than you, but

you should still consider it a marvel. It is in the sea and the waves. It is in the sea

and swims on the waves. On the sea the tempest rages, violent winds blow; but

the fish swims on. It does not drown because it is used to swimming. In the same

way this world is the sea for you. It has various currents, huge waves, fierce

storms. You too, must be a fish, so that the waves of this world do not drown you.

Those are lovely words of the Father: “I have begotten you today.” It means

“when you have redeemed the world, when you have summoned hearts to the

kingdom of heaven, when you have fulfilled my will, you have proved that you are

my son.”