“Being baptized means being united to God; in a unique, new existence we belong to God, we are immersed in God himself.
We do not make ourselves Christian. Becoming Christian is not something that follows a decision of mine: “herewith I make myself a Christian”. Of course, my decision is also necessary, but first of all, it is an action of God with me: it is not I who make myself Christian. I am taken on by God, taken in hand by God and thus, by saying “yes” to God’s action, I become Christian. I do not make myself Christian but God makes me his, God takes me in hand and puts my life in a new dimension. Likewise, I do not make myself live but life is given to me; I am not born because I have made myself a human being, but I am born because I have been granted to be human. Therefore, my Christian being has also been granted to me.
Being immersed in God, I am of course united to my brothers and sisters, because all the others are in God. I am immersed in communion with the others. To be baptized is never a solitary act by “me”; it is always, necessarily, being united with all the others, being in unity and solidarity with the whole Body of Christ, with the whole community of his brothers and sisters. This event, which is Baptism, inserts me in community, breaks my isolation. With Baptism, with immersion in the name of God, we too are already immersed in immortal life, we are alive for ever. In other words, Baptism is a first stage in resurrection: immersed in God, we are already immersed in the indestructible life, our resurrection begins. Baptism is the first step of resurrection, entry into the indestructible life of God”.
Pope Benedict XVI