One of the questions that just baffles Catholics is when one of their Protestant brothers or sisters comes up to them and says, "Have you accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior -- are you born again?" Usually, the Catholic person is reduced to stuttering and stumbling, not sure whether to say yes or no. Well, the answer is "Yes!", but it’s a yes with a difference. We were born again when we were baptized. Our parents accepted Christ for us and later in life, we made that acceptance part of our life. We were taught that each and every day we must reconfirm our baptismal acceptance of Christ by what we think, say, and do. We don’t just accept Christ one and forget about it; we reaffirm our faith in him every day.

Salvation is offered to everybody, but it is not unconditional. It must be accepted. Salvation is not a one-way street nor is it automatic. There is a deal, a covenant between God and humanity. God will be our God and we shall be his people. It is in that context that we are saved. Obviously, accepting Christ is crucial, but we have to do this every day. It’s like marriage. A man and a woman pledge their undying love on their wedding day. But if that is the only time they mean it, if they don’t reaffirm that love each and every day, then that married love begins to die. The same goes with our relationship with God. The next time you are asked if you are born again or if you have accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, say, "Yes! I’m born again in Baptism and I renew my commitment to Christ every day by being faithful to him." That’s the honest answer, the true answer, the answer any Catholic should be proud to give.