Confess. Proclaim. Share. – September 14

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 72; PM Psalm 119:73-96; Job 42:1-17; Acts 16:16-24; John 12:20-26

This past Sunday, there was a baptism at the 11:15am service. A vocal and engaging infant was washed in the waters of baptism and became the newest member in the Christian church at that moment. Chrism (blessed oil) was put on her head in the sign of a cross, a symbol that she is forever sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever. In unison the congregation welcomed Ware and offered words of wisdom to her: “We receive you into the household of God. Confess the faith of Christ crucified, proclaim his resurrection, and share with us in his eternal priesthood.”

Today, that congregational response to the newly baptized person resonates with me in a refreshed tone. There is acknowledgement of the entrance into this family of the Lord. And then, together the people say three declarative statements about what it means to be a Christian.

Confess the faith of Christ crucified. In these words, we remind others and challenge ourselves to believe in and talk about our faith in Jesus. And it is more complicated than that. It’s not just a faith based on Jesus the victor and king. It is a faith of humility – Christ crucified. We say those words to remind ourselves that there is a great cost paid by God’s Son. There is a cost in following Jesus and serving God through him. We are called to own boldly the faith we have in Jesus the Christ, the one long-promised, and to remember Jesus’ words in John 12:25 when he said, “Those who love their life will lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” We are challenged to have the faith of Jesus, too. This is a goal that we keep stretching toward, and not one that we attain without God’s grace lifting us and meeting us right where we are.

Proclaim his resurrection. In these words, we encourage one another to talk about the resurrection of Jesus…that death did not and cannot stop the power of God through Jesus. In proclamation, we retell the story to all who will listen, encouraging and declaring Jesus the victor over pain and death. After all, Jesus is the one who rose from the grave and walked among the people, revealing to them the wounds in his hands and side. He met his disciples on the beach and had a breakfast picnic with them. He comforted his grieving friend Mary Magdalene and told her not to hold on to him too tightly, for he had not yet ascended to his Father in heaven. Jesus revealed to the people of his day, and to us, wonder upon wonder…and we get to keep telling those stories of miraculous awe, that are far beyond parlor tricks and spirited divination.

Share with us in his eternal priesthood. This closing statement is a powerful one – an invitation to the newly baptized. Join together with the wide and loving Christian family. Tell us more about yourself, and we will tell you about our own stories. And we gather in this time of sharing, centered around the never-ending guidance of Jesus the priest and pastor…the leader who will not disappear, move on, get sick, or make missteps. Being a Christian in the Episcopal Church means that the people constitute the Body of Christ…and in baptism, each of us joins the priesthood of all believers. We all are invited and empowered to serve Jesus, made worthy through God’s amazing grace.

The sacrament of baptism is a beautiful entrance rite into the household of God. The promises and prayers we make are big ones, and we get to reaffirm them when others are baptized, too. If you want to know more about baptism, or would like for your child or grandchild to be baptized, I will be teaching a class at Saint Stephen’s on Sunday, September 25 at 10:15am, preparing people and answering questions you have.

Katherine+

Questions for Reflection

When you hear this congregational response after baptism, what resonates with you?

What is the crescendo for you in a service of baptism?

Daily Challenge

Ponder what it means to you to make the sign of the cross. Would you like to read more about this act of personal piety? Here is a link to a lengthy, fascinating piece on Holy Cross Day and the history of the cross: http://satucket.com/lectionary/Holy_Cross.htm.