We are born again of water and the Holy Spirit

On Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to reflect on a scripture passage from the first book of Kings (18:16b-40) entitled "Elijah prevails over the prophets of Baal". Our treasure, which follows, is from the beginning of the treatise On the Mysteries by Saint Ambrose, bishop. Saint Ambrose (c. 340–397) was one of the greatest bishops and teachers in the history of the Catholic Church. As Bishop of Milan, he courageously defended the independence of the Church from political rulers, preached with exceptional wisdom, and cared deeply for the poor and those in need. A gifted theologian and biblical teacher, he helped explain the doctrines of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the sacraments, and Christian moral living, especially through his clear interpretation of Sacred Scripture. On the Mysteries is a brief work written by Saint Ambrose around AD 387 for newly baptized Christians after Easter. He wrote it to explain the deeper meaning of the sacraments they had just received. Ambrose teaches that Baptism gives new life, Confirmation strengthens believers with the Holy Spirit, and the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. Rooted in Scripture, the work shows that God uses visible signs to communicate invisible grace and remains an important witness to the Catholic Church's earliest sacramental teaching. The primary teaching of today's treasure, from the treatise On the Mysteries, entitled "We Are Born Again of Water and the Holy Spirit" by Saint Ambrose, is that Baptism truly brings about a new birth through the power of the Holy Spirit. Ambrose explains that Baptism is not merely a symbol but a sacrament through which God forgives sins, unites us with Christ in His death and resurrection, and makes us adopted sons and daughters of God. Drawing on Scripture, especially Jesus' words to Nicodemus, he teaches that through water and the Holy Spirit we receive a new life of grace and become members of Christ's Body, the Church. The central message is that Baptism transforms us from our old life of sin into a new life in Christ and calls us to live faithfully as children of God. The main message from the first book of Kings is that the Lord alone is the true and living God, worthy of Israel's complete trust and worship. On Mount Carmel, Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a test, and God answers Elijah's prayer by sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, proving His power while Baal remains silent. Elijah then calls the people to stop wavering between God and idols and to return wholeheartedly to the Lord. The central message is that faith requires an undivided heart: God alone deserves our worship, and He faithfully reveals His power and presence to those who trust and obey Him.