Sermon for January 9, 2022 - Epiphany One - Baptism of Our Lord - Year C - The Rev. Jeffrey W. Mello

To view a video of the Rev. Jeffrey W. Mello’s sermon, click HERE

Isaiah 43:1-7; Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

During a Marriage ceremony, we pray “grant that all married persons who have witnessed these vows may find their lives strengthened and their loyalties confirmed.” 

I’ve had more than a handful of seasoned married couples come up to me after the ceremony to say how moving they found the ceremony for themselves.  “Thanks for reminding us what this whole marriage thing is about,” they say.

Marriage ceremonies aren’t just for the two getting married.

Likewise, at funerals, the living who have gathered to grieve find something in their own lives affirmed in the words of the liturgy.  Assurance of everlasting life, of God’s presence with us as “a comfort in affliction, and a pledge of our inheritance in that kingdom where there is no death, neither sorrow nor crying, but the fullness of joy with all your saints.”

Funerals aren’t really for the departed.

Yesterday morning, I attended an ordination to the priesthood.  I listened, heart swelling, throat tightening and eyes filling as the Bishop prayed, “you are to love and serve the people among whom you work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor.  You are to preach, to declare God’s forgiveness…to pronounce God’s blessing..to share in the administration of Holy Baptism and in the celebration of the mysteries of Christs Body and Blood…in all that you do you are to nourish Christ’s people from the riches of his grace, and strengthen them to glorify God in this life and in the life to come.”

Ordinations aren’t just for those being ordained.  

There is nothing like having your calling affirmed, feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit, gathered in community with others who share that calling to put a little spring back in your step, and hope in your heart, and joy in your spirit, as yesterday’s did with me.

Ordinations aren’t just for the one being ordained.

And neither are Baptisms.

The families of the two babies we were to baptize this morning decided wisely to postpone the baptisms until their friends and families could gather with us safely to celebrate.

And so, instead, on this Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, we will celebrate the Renewal of our own Baptismal vows.  Of course, we renew our baptismal vows every time we celebrate a Baptism.  Each time, we answer the invitation to “join with those who are committing themselves to Christ and renew our own baptismal covenant.”

But this morning, there is no Baptismal Candidate upon whom to cast our hopes and expectations.  There is no one else we are talking about who will promise to continue in the apostle’s teaching, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayer.  No one but us.

No one but us who will promise to persevere in resisting evil, in proclaiming by word and example the Good News of God in Christ, in seeking and serving Christ in all persons, in loving our neighbor as ourselves, in striving for justice and peace among all people, and in respecting the dignity of every human being.  No one but us.  

There is no cute baby to distract us from the fact that these vows are our vows.  Taken by us or on our behalf for the first time some time ago, they are no less true, no less critical, no less the essence of who God calls us to be in this moment, right now, today.

In Luke’s version of Jesus’ baptism that we heard this morning, Jesus sees the clouds part and hears God’s voice remind him of who he had always been up to that moment and who he will always be from that moment on.

You are my child.  The beloved.  With you I am well pleased.

That was not new information to Jesus.  It was an echo through time of the lessons he had been taught from the Torah, as in today’s reading from Isaiah; 

“You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.”

Brought to the edge of the river Jordan, with thousands of others seeking renewal in their lives, longing to be more of who they knew themselves to be, Jesus gets in.  Jesus immerses himself.  In doing so, Jesus is reminded of who he has always been; precious in God’s sight, honored, and loved.  And he is reminded of who he will always be; God’s child.  Beloved.  Pleasing to God.

In his sermon at the ordination yesterday, Bishop Thomas Brown of Maine told a story of a young man just before his ordination who was on retreat. The Mother Superior of the community where he was on retreat sat next to him in the chapel and said, “now, tell me, how long have you been preparing for ordination?” [The young man] spoke about his years at Harvard, his connection to the monastery on Memorial Drive, and his time at General Seminary, and then said, “about 6 years.” To which the nun said, “Oh that’s a very long time, isn’t it? Imagine how long it’s been for God. Because God has been preparing for this moment since the beginning of time, waiting until just now for you to say, “yes.” 

The Mother Superior’s question to the young man preparing for ordination is a good one for us to consider this morning as we prepare to renew our Baptisms.

“...imagine how long it’s been for God, waiting just now for you to say ‘yes’?”

Imagine how long God has waited for you to say yes.

To say yes, you are precious in God’s sight.

Yes, you are honored.

Yes you are loved.

To say yes, you are a child of God.

Yes, you are the beloved.

Yes, in you God is pleased.

Imagine how long God has waited for you to say yes.

Yes, because we are precious and honored by God, 

Yes we will continue in the apostle’s teaching, in fellowship, in the 

breaking of bread and in the prayer.  

Yes, we will persevere in resisting evil

Yes, we will proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ

Yes, because we are beloved children of God, 

Yes, we will seek and serve Christ in all persons, 

Yes, we will love our neighbors as ourselves, 

Yes, we will strive for justice and peace among all people, and 

Yes, we will respect the dignity of every human being.

Baptisms aren’t  just for the ones being Baptized.

Last week, Jesus was twelve years old, already about the work of God.  Today, he is “about 30” when he steps into the river Jordan.  Imagine how long God was waiting for him to say “yes.”  Maybe today is the day…maybe today.  

Jesus spent at least 18 years, if not 30, preparing to say yes. Then, when he does say yes, and gets in the river, he sees the skies open, the Spirit descend and knows his belovedness by God in his bones.  

Now Jesus waits for us at the edge of the River.  Wondering if we will join him.  Wondering when we will join him.  Maybe today is the day…maybe today.

How long have you been preparing to live this day as a beloved child of God?

Imagine how long it’s been for God. Because God has been preparing for this moment since the beginning of time, waiting until just now for you to say, “yes.” 

AMEN.

© 2021 The Reverend Jeffrey W. Mello