“Child of God, you are marked with the cross of Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit forever.”
These words, said at baptism, remind all who hear that the newly baptized have now been dressed in Christ and bear the sign of his cross. This is the uniform and toolbox for all Christians, regardless of age at baptism. The Holy Spirit keeps these gifts renewed in us, so that they are ever as fresh as the day we received them.
This message is an excerpt from “Resilience: The Stickiness to Keep Going,” by Julia Seymour in the November 2016 issue of Gather magazine. Today is the second Sunday of Advent. The readings are Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12. We remember John of Damascus, theologian and hymnwriter, who died around 749.
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