WORD 2day: Friday after Epiphany
The water, which enlivens and purifies, represents the new life that faith gives us in baptism. The Spirit, who sanctifies and consecrates, reminds us of having been chosen and set apart with the identity of the sons and daughters, the people of God. These two elements, the message they symbolise and the call that we have in them, we have spoken of in the past days. The element that stands out today is the third - Blood.
Jesus himself would refer to this, when he indicates to the apostles the baptism that they would all have to receive - the baptism of the blood, the martyrdom. This refers to the testimony, the witness that our lives have to become. The testimony that we are called to give this world is that we have the Son, and therefore, we have life. Our lives have to stand out in front of the world, to manifest, to reveal to all persons, the life that God gives.
The persons with leprosy, that Jesus cures, were called to go and show themselves to the priests and announce to the whole world the new life they have received. They were clearly instructed, not to bother about announcing the praises and glory of Christ - that would happen by itself. They were asked to announce to the world, their new life - in fact, that would have been the best proclamation of the glory and graciousness of God.