‘Be dead to sin and be alive in God’, faithful told

‘Be dead to sin and be alive in God’, faithful told

Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato. FILE PHOTO – CBCP NEWS

MANILA— “We believe in new life; we do not live it.”

That’s how Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato, in his Easter message, described the failure of many people to live the message of Jesus’ resurrection.

He said that Catholics renew their baptismal vows at Easter—usually at the Easter vigil or the Easter Sunday Mass—as an expression of “God’s gift of salvation”.

These two pledges, he said, include believing and loving God “with all our heart, mind, and soul; and to reject Satan and sinfulness”.

“This is the new life of Easter that we should live –- to be dead to sin and be alive in God,” Quevedo said. “But the sad reality in ourselves and in our society is that we fail to live this new life.”

“That is the reason for social injustice, for social division and conflict, for poverty, for discrimination and violence, for corruption and dishonesty, for criminality and vice,” he said.

The cardinal then exhorted the faithful to live the new life brought by the risen Christ, and not be contented with merely celebrating the Jesus’ Resurrection.

“This is the new life of Easter that we should live – to be dead to sin and be alive in God,” Quevedo added.

“Easter and the renewal of baptismal promises remind us of who we are, redeemed and saved by the Risen Lord, committed to live a life of truth and justice, of love and peace,” he also said. CBCP News