The Baptism of the Lord January 13, 2013
The Possibilities Story:
“In the beginning”. The Heavens opened and the Spirit hovered over the waters, the wellspring of all life. It is a story of not only the beginning but the story of a companion who will travel with us on a journey to continual rebirth. It is a story of the very real possibility of being reborn to the possibility a fresh start with the breath of new life again and again without end. When we are down in the dumps – know within lives the grace of our baptism.
What is it that we are longing to be reborn to? What road block and impossibility is it that we want to overcome? What is the magic secret tonic, brew or medicine or ingredient will do the trick for us. Is it possible we may already have received and have at our finger tips such a magical and spiritual potion?
Let’s examine that theory! It was the kindergarten teacher’s birthday and the students decided that they would each give their teacher a gift.
The first student, whose parents own a florist shop, gave her a present. She held it and said “I guess that it is flowers”. “How did you guess?” asked the little boy. She laughed and thanked him.
The second student, whose parents own a candy store, gave her a present. She held it and said, “I guess that is some candy.” “How did you guess?” asked the little boy. She again laughed and thanked him also.
The third student, whose parents own a bottle of spirits shop, gave her a box which was leaking. The teacher touched the liquid with her finger and tasted it. “Mmmmm is it wine?” she asked. “No,” said the little girl.
So she tasted it again. “Is it champagne?” she asked. “Noooo,” replied the little girl, “It’s a puppy.”
Do we know God loves you even when we “P” all over ourselves!
Water and God and the Wind of Creation
Yep he sure does and that’s what today lesson is all about! And did you know “dog” spelled backwards spells “God”?
You see God is like a puppy, when we come back to him He gets so excited the grace of our baptism begins to sprinkle, and pour all over us again like the very first time. Come back to me with all your heart and I will cover you with living waters.
From time to time in life we need a way, sneaky as it may be, to be reminded of who we are! Our frail human nature and the world ties us up in knots which can causes us to lose track of our spiritual history and forget who we are. Sometime we forget where we all originally came from and for what purpose we were created in the first place.
Listen again for the first time! At his baptism “the heavens were opened” 237 – the heavens that Adam’s and Eve’s sin had closed – and the waters were sanctified again by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit of God descended upon the waters – the wellspring of all life.
The Spirit who had hovered over the waters of the first creation descended in the bodily form of a dove upon Christ. A new beginning, a new creation, and God the Father revealed Jesus as his “beloved Son.” This is the prelude to the greatest story ever told.
Baptism is a Living Sacrament:
Baptism is not limited to and just that sacrament we received so very long ago! Baptism is a living sacrament.
Baptism is the pathway that opens a doorway to new life in every blind alley. Baptism is the doorway that lead to the Eucharist, which overcomes death. Jesus Baptism preceded the Baptism which he had to be baptized.
The blood and water that flowed from the pierced side of the crucified Jesus are types of Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacraments of that opened the pathway from death to new life.
From then on, it is possible “to be born of water and the Spirit” in order to enter the Kingdom of God. [766] This is the good news to which each of us are called.
Go – Go out into the world!
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”