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First
Reading
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Psalm |
Epistle |
Gospel |
Genesis 1:1–5 |
Psalm 29: 1–11 |
Acts 19:1–7 |
Mark 1:4–11 |
The accounts of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist undoubtedly caused no small consternation in the early church. John was a revered figure throughout first century Palestine. The Gospels indicate that the disciples of John and the disciples of Jesus initially competed with one another. Even after John’s death and Jesus’ resurrection, the Book of Acts mentions John’s disciples in far off Corinth and the presence of one in Ephesus. The thought that Jesus was baptized by John rather than the other way around, bothered some and hence fanciful accounts to show Jesus refusing to be baptized or Jesus baptizing John were actually written. But the majority of early Christians accepted the Gospel accounts. It is one of many signs of the Gospels’ inner integrity that the Gospel writers did not gloss over difficult or ambivalent situations or compromise for the sake of easy answers. There is no getting around it: Jesus was baptized by John and baptism was, from the very beginning, an important rite of initiation for the church.
The Gospel writers want us to know that Jesus is connected to the history of God’s plan of salvation. John represents all who have gone before in the calling of Israel to be a conduit of blessing to all peoples of the earth. Jesus is not ashamed to be blessed by the representative of his age and this ancient tradition. Secondly, the writers want us to know that God sticks to us right from the very beginning. That is why the story of Jesus’ baptism is read shortly after his birth. God did not acknowledge Jesus only after he had successfully gathered the requisite number of disciples or had proven himself by preaching a good sermon to the five thousand on the hillside or had revealed some dramatic signs. God’s grace is offered to all of us as a gift right now and for the long haul. In Matthew’s account, the important sign of Jesus’ birth becomes the star that led the magi, the representatives of all nations, to Jesus’ birth.
The Gospels are telling us that God’s plan of salvation and healing of humanity has no time limits or exceptions buried in small print. It is not an expedient arrangement, driven by the forces of the world. In God’s plan, no one is declared ineligible for grace or the right to life with dignity. Baptism is a sign that God adopts us, offers us a legacy, and considers us daughters and sons forever. To be sure, like a legacy we are given by a relative, we ourselves may refuse to claim it, or let it lie dormant for a great length of time, but God’s legacy is always there.
This past week, many of us took down our Christmas trees. It rarely fails that when I grab the trunk and wrestle it out of the stand, my hands get covered with sap. The sap leaves noticeable marks, and the more you wash and rub, the more the sap seems to spread and resist coming off. An idea popped into my head: what if when we baptize someone, instead of using water that evaporates or anointing the candidate with fragrant oil, we mark the newly baptized with evergreen sap. We make a mark that is hard to remove, that sticks to the skin and lasts a week or so. Don’t worry, I’m not really going to go out and gather sap, but there is a message here about the mark of baptism.
We are the ones who need to be reminded that God calls us together as one family, that God wishes to adopt all of us together as sisters and brothers. Baptism, like all of God’s signs, is for our benefit, not God’s. Baptism is a sign of divine grace to us, not a memo to God to remember to give us grace. We are the ones who need to know that God offers to stick to us right from the start, and this legacy is never merely temporary.
Lastly, you should know that I feel helpless to offer any really helpful comments on the tragedy that is happening in Gaza. Intelligent thought seems to be brushed off or quickly forgotten. It is easy to demonize or categorize and to try to isolate ourselves from all involved parties, thereby doing nothing more than shake our heads and wring our hands. As the years go by, I respect more and more the church’s wisdom in including the liturgical remembrance of the slaughter of the innocents so soon after Christmas. It’s not simply a killjoy act to counteract the excess sentimentality of Christmas. It has become reality for me that people of faith are called never to ignore. How do we respond beyond easing our conscience? Do whatever you may think would be a helpful response, but do not forget, do not forget, and sweep the tragedy away like dead Christmas tree needles that inevitably hide season after season under the edge of the rug. In one sense, Jesus’ sign of baptism is a prominent part of the Epiphany celebration because it never lets us forget whom we are called to be, that we are all connected, and that through baptism no one is demonized, nor is it God’s intention that anyone be swept under the forces of the world’s history.
And I offer this to you in the name of the Living God, Amen.
