Luca Signorelli, c. 1491, commissioned by the Confraternity of the Holy Name of Jesus in Volterra, with Simeon at the rear
By: Jub Alabastro CFD-Davao
In the first reading, St Peter tells us that through baptism, we are born-again in spirit; we are renewed and cleansed of our sins;
Act 2:38-39 And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him."
Later, in the same chapter, we read that those who were baptized were added to the Church. So baptism is a way by which we become members of Christ’s body the Church.
Act 2:47 Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
In the Old Testament, circumcision was a way in which one becomes a member of God’s people. It is a sign of covenant between God and Abraham and his descendants that He would be their God, and they shall be His people. The process involves the removal of foreskin.
Gen 17:10-14 RSV This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (11) You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. (12) He that is eight days old among you shall be circumcised; every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house, or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, (13) both he that is born in your house and he that is bought with your money, shall be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. (14) Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
Male strangers or foreigners could only take part in the celebration of the Passover if they had been circumcised.
Exo 12:48 NAB If any aliens living among you wish to celebrate the Passover of the LORD, all the males among them must first be circumcised, and then they may join in its observance just like the natives. But no man who is uncircumcised may partake of it.
In the New Testament, however, Baptism is the New Circumcision. We become members of the New People of God, the Church, not by circumcision administered by the hand, but by stripping off the CARNAL BODY, with the circumcision of Christ. (Col. 2:11-12.)
When men, even married men, used condom in opposition to the Church’s teaching, are they stripping off the Carnal Body? Is this a way of CIRCUMCISING THE HEART (Rom. 2:29?) Or is this a NEW WAY of putting back a NEW FORESKIN in opposition to the NEW CIRCUMCISION?
One must remember that in both New and Old Testament, the biblical usage of the word UNCIRCUMCISED does not just pertain to someone whose foreskin was not yet removed. It also referred to those who, despite being physically circumcised, DO NOT LISTEN TO GOD OR TO HIS APPOINTED AUTHORITY and act in disobedience as those who are uncircumcised.
Jer 6:10 DRB To whom shall I speak? and to whom shall I testify, that he may hear? behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot hear: behold the word of the Lord is become unto them a reproach: and they will not receive it.
Jer 9:26 DRB Upon Egypt, and upon Juda, and upon Edom, and upon the children of Ammon, and upon Moab, and upon all that have their hair polled round, that dwell in the desert: for all the nations are uncircumcised in the flesh, but all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
Col 2:13 And even when you were dead (in) transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions;
Act 7:51 You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors.
1Mac 1:15 They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing.
St. Paul in fact has a term for this outward circumcision unaccompanied by any spiritual change. He uses the term concision.
Php 3:2-3 DRB Beware of dogs: beware of evil workers: beware of the concision. (3) For we are the circumcision, who in spirit serve God and glory in Christ Jesus, not having confidence in the flesh.
Now, if baptism is the NEW CIRCUMCISION by which we become members of Christ’s body, doesn’t this NEW FORESKIN “strip us off” of our authentic membership in the Church, the New People of God? Regardless of whether OLD or NEW FORESKIN, doesn’t this make men SUPOT in Tagalog, or PISOT in Visayan?
St. Paul, speaking of the NEW SPIRITUAL CIRCUMCISION abolishing the old Jewish Ceremonial Law, but still maintaining the entire commandment in force under Christianity, gave us this message:
1Cor. 7:18-19 NAB Was someone called after he had been circumcised? He should not try to undo his circumcision. Was an uncircumcised person called? He should not be circumcised. (19) Circumcision means nothing, and uncircumcision means nothing; what matters is keeping God's commandments.
What is worth noting and reflecting in this passage is that he gave us this exhortation in the context of Married Life. This should be enough for us to heed God’s voice in the Church and reject the R.H. Bill for the welfare of the family.
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