Wade in the Water

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." (From the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark)

We heard much of this reading just a few weeks ago at the Baptism of Christ. And here, less than 2 months later, we have it again. The authors of our lectionary point us to baptism, which is always a good thing. It's got me wondering about what baptism means in our lives today. What does it mean to be "buried with Christ in his death...[and to] share in his resurrection**"?

I don't remember my baptism, but I sometimes think of it when I meet Ed, my favorite pan handler. I struggle with what it means to live into Jesus' call to care for the poor and my own conflicting ideas about handing out cash on the street. I think about it when I watch the news and feel the simultaneous ache and callousness of my heart at the daily reportings of gun violence that lead to far too many deaths of children on the streets of Chicago. I think about it when I wonder how the conflict in the land I so love, Israel/Palestine, will ever come to a peaceful end. What does my baptism mean in these contexts? What am I called to do? How do I trust God, how do I trust the waters of baptism in the midst of conflict and struggle?

So my question, dear friends, this day is about baptism. What does your baptism mean to you? How do you (or do you) live out your baptism every day? And what, if anything, do you remember of your baptism?


**Book of Common Prayer p. 306

What should I give up for Lent?

One of my dearest friends, quite a foodie, pulled me aside last week and said: "I want to give up alcohol for Lent, but I'm going to Charlie Trotters and want a wine flight with my meal. I mean, it's a once in a lifetime experience. Is that okay?" It's that time of year. We ponder which Lenten discipline seems best for us. The question has been a buzz on Facebook this week--what should I give up for Lent? One friend posted: "Contemplating giving up Coke Zero for Lent. (That translates into my entire caffeine and carbonated beverage intake as well.) Discuss..." My favorite of the responses she received was this: "Will it make you a more loving person?"

Over the years I've given things up and taken things on. In recent years, many folks I know have given up Facebook for Lent, given up swearing, added in exercise, given up meat. Giving up chocolate and alcohol seem to also be common and profound choices. Every year I toy with giving up coffee, but I truly think it would make me so unpleasant to be around that you would all insist on my taking it back up. I'm clear it would NOT make me a more loving person.

On Ash Wednesday we are invited to mark a holy Lent by observing "a season of penitence and fasting"*. Giving something up or denying ourselves of something we love for the season of Lent is one way to do that. Far more than "dieting for Jesus,"**Lenten denials invite us to be present to the things we take for granted--the ease with which we reach for food or coffee or soda, the mindlessness that can draw us away from God and each other as we find ourselves overly attached to our computers and phones, and to ponder what is for which we truly hunger and thirst. 

As we enter this holy season, I hope that you will find a discipline that will lead not so much to feeling trapped or deprived, as welcoming a new holy habit, and creating space to hear where God is calling and leading--things which may well be born from the space of denial and fasting. Will the Lenten discipline you choose make you a more loving person? Will it help you recognize the face of Jesus in those you meet on the street corners and in the grocery store? And finally, what, if anything, are you giving up for Lent? The comment section is open and would love to hear from you!



*Book of Common Prayer, p. 264-265
**Sarah being snarky