How Do We Die to Our Old Selves and Become Reborn in Christ?

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How Do We Die to Our Old Selves and Become Reborn in Christ? A Catholic Reflection from the Heart of a Pre-Baptism Retreat.

This weekend, I experienced something that shifted my soul in a way only the grace of God can. At a pre-baptism retreat, I encountered not just teachings or traditional practices, but a deep inner transformation — a spiritual awakening rooted in the very core of what it means to be Catholic.

As I sat in silence, reflecting on the path I once walked; the life of comfort, the life where I’m on top of my career and about to start building my own life, and life of partying, friends whom I thought were genuine, and more which led to blindness. But, it became so clear: we die to our old selves all the time as Catholics. Not once. Not twice. But constantly. And we are reborn — again and again — not by our own strength, but through the free gift of God’s loving grace, poured out through His Son Jesus Christ and through the sacraments of the Holy Catholic Church.

Before we continue, let’s take a break to pray an Our Father:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

Amen.

Our Father (Aramaic):

ܐܒܘܢ ܕܒܫܡܝܐ (Abwoon d’bwashmaya,)

ܢܬܩܕܫ ܫܡܟ (Nethqadash shmakh,)

ܬܐܬܐ ܡܠܟܘܬܟ (Teytey malkuthakh,)

ܢܗܘܐ ܨܒܝܢܟ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܒܫܡܝܐ ܐܦ ܒܐܪܥܐ (Nehwey tzevyanach aykanna d’bwashmaya aph b’arha.)

ܗܒ ܠܢ ܠܚܡܐ ܕܣܘܢܩܢܢ ܝܘܡܢܐ (Hav lan lakhma d’sunqanan yaomana.)

ܘܫܒܘܩ ܠܢ ܚܘܒܝܢ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܐܦ ܚܢܢ ܫܒܩܢ ܠܚܝܒܝܢ (Washboqlan khaubayn aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l’khayyabayn.)

ܘܠܐ ܬܥܠܢ ܠܢܣܝܘܢܐ (Wela tahlan l’nesyuna,)

ܐܠܐ ܦܨܢ ܡܢ ܒܝܫܐ (Ela patzan min bisha.)

ܡܛܠ ܕܝܠܟ ܗܝ ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܘܚܝܠܐ ܘܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܠܥܠܡ ܥܠܡܝܢ (Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l’alam almein.)

ܐܡܝܢ (Ameyn.)

Dying to Comfort, Reborn in Christ.

There was a time I lived a life of comfort, filled with luxuries and laughter. It all seemed good — on the surface. But beneath the veneer of “good times,” I had become numb to the deeper meaning of life. Eventually, I lost it all. I believe God allowed that stripping away — not as punishment, but as purification. Evil came disguised: false accusations, power-hungry individuals, deception of others to turn against me, and more. I, an innocent, fell. Hard. I could not understand why people would do such things to me and I had no idea why my Buddhist/ Taoist prayers seemingly felt so false all of a sudden.

And in the ruin of everything that once propped me up, I found Christ.

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

— Romans 6:5

It was then that I began to understand: our faith is not about clinging to worldly pleasure but about surrendering — dying to the false self so the true self in Christ can rise. I know that through Christ, I will be able to sustain myself and I will be able to stumble upon opportunities that would be so rewarding and also for me to increase my involvement in my online ministry for the youth not only in America but all over the world.

The Moment of Metanoia: Retreat, Reflection, and Redemption.

At the retreat, we were invited to confront ourselves honestly. I thought about my own shortcomings — moments when I chose hate over forgiveness, unrest over peace, pride over humility. I remembered those I had wronged and those who had wronged me. And something unexpected happened: I began to pray for them. Not because I felt like it, but because I knew Christ calls us to.

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

— Matthew 5:44

We wrote down our sins, our failures, our hidden burdens — and we burned them. We laid not only our best before God but also our worst, offering it all to His cross. It was a pretty exciting experience actually; we all written our worst on a piece of paper and enclosed it in an envelope while we chanted in line and tossed them in a burning put as we praise and ask for God’s mercy.

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.”

— Psalm 55:22

Then came the most humbling moment: the Washing of the Feet. Just like Christ, our King, stooped low to wash the feet of His apostles, we too were reminded that greatness in the Kingdom comes through service, humility, and love. It humbled me so much as we had to wash the feet of other elects and anyone, really, and then kiss their feet.

I was like “nooooo waaaaaay I’m not worthy to have my feet washed and neither do I want to wash the feet of others!” but once I understood why Jesus did it and why even the Pope does it today, it meant so much and it compelled me to participate fully. I was resisting my tears so hard but I could see many who wept on full force. Most importantly is, Jesus is King, and upon Baptism, we too are kings, priests, and prophets. But do we indulge like worldly kings? We are called to serve and offer sacrifices.

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

— John 13:14

The Grace of the Sacraments: Free and Transforming.

Here is the beauty of our faith: you do not have to earn your way back to God. You do not have to clean yourself up before He can touch you. He wants to meet you exactly where you are — and then transform you from the inside out (I’m tearing up as I’m writing this, really). Jesus did not choose perfectly clean people in the eyes of the Laws of Moses to be his Apostles; he picked a gambling fisherman, a tax collector, he saved a woman from demons who led her to sell herself, he picked a zealot, and other sinners who even denied Him until His death. But, He showed them mercy, He never gave up. God makes no mistakes. Those He chose ended up becoming very important pillars to the Christian world today and forevermore.

That transformation begins with baptism, where we die with Christ and rise with Him.

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”

— Romans 6:3

If you’ve never been baptized and you feel that tug on your heart, that desire for new life — this is your moment. Come to the waters. Come and be made new. Wait, first, go to mass (or masses), see the priest, asked to be enrolled in RCIA and really see if it’s for you. Everyone’s journey will be different; some attended RCIA and thought it wasn’t their place and some attended many times and only got baptized after years, some took 6 months.

And if you’ve already been baptized, but your life has gone off course — if you feel distant from God, if you’ve fallen into things you’re ashamed of — come back. Go to confession. It’s free. It’s healing. It’s grace.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

— 1 John 1:9

No sin is too great. No past is too far gone. God specializes in resurrection.

Dying Daily, Living Eternally.

Every day, as Catholics, we are called to die to the flesh, to the world, and to sin — and to be reborn in the Spirit. This is not a one-time experience, but a lifelong pilgrimage. Through the Eucharist, Confession, Adoration, Scripture, and loving service, we are renewed daily by the breath of God.

I look around and still see people — even people I once knew — trapped in the endless cycle of worldly pleasures, false promises, and hollow success. I was once there. But Jesus pulled me out. He can do the same for you too.

I was an innocent soul who fell much like our friend, Job, but Christ caught me mid-fall and is teaching me to walk again — not in comfort, but in truth. And that truth has set me free. Remember that God will only put you through trials to your limits He knows are your limits which will make you stronger and the rewards from those will be more fruitful than what you had before. Be it in this world or in Heaven.