SERMON FOR THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST 2020

Sermon preached at the Church of St John the Baptist, Eltham

at Parish Mass on Sunday, January 12th, 2020

 Here is my servant whom I uphold,

my chosen, in whom my soul delights. (Is. 42. 1)

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INTRODUCTION

“Father, I’d like to have Jimmy christened.”  It’s a request I found was made from time to time when I was a parish priest although, like the 89 on Shooters Hill, they either all come at once, or there’s none for ages.  

Baptism is, of course, an important event in the life of a family, as well as the church.  For us it means another member has been added to Christ’s body; that the life of one more person can reveal the glory of God.  For the family, I guess, it means many things.  From “It’s what we should do for our baby” to “We want her to be blessed by God.”  Of course, it’s not just babies who are Baptised.  Many come to the Sacrament as adults – I was 17 when I decided to be initiated into the Faith and Jesus, of course, was baptised by John when he was about 30.  And we’re told that not only did that involve being plunged under water, out of which life comes, but that, afterwards, the renewing power of the Spirit descended on him.  Later the Western Church separated the one Rite of Christian Initiation into Baptism and Confirmation but still, in essence, they form a whole.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

Today the Church, as part of the three great Epiphanies of Christ, celebrates his Baptism by water and the Spirit, the second of the ‘wonders’ by which the glory of Christ – the beloved of God – was manifested.  Next week we shall celebrate the third – the changing of water into wine.  

Unusually all the gospels tell us that his cousin, John, presided at that event: Matthew tells us that John performed the Baptism in the context of calling people to repentance (3:10): Mark’s gospel immediately opens with this account (no Nativity scene for him) and speaks of the way people “confessed their sins” (1:5).  Luke tells us that John “went through the whole Jordan area proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (3:3) whilst John the Evangelist, as respectful as ever, simply tells us that the Spirit descended on Jesus as the Jordan.  Baptism was – and continues to be – associated with a change of life.  It involves recognising the errors of one’s ways and desiring to amend one’s behaviour.   Now that, clearly, causes questions when we baptise babies.  They can hardly repent of their past life and the new life offered through Baptism is accepted on their behalf by parents and godparents. 

But today we also need to pause and ask the question, “Why was Jesus baptised if he was sinless?”  Well, the answer lies in the nature of this event.  What all the gospel writers also agree is that Jesus joined in a general movement that was occurring in Judaism that concerned how people could live out a ‘purer’ form of their Judaic faith.  It was, if you like, a reaction against the corruption of ‘official’ Judaism.  Groups such as the Essenes (of which John may have been part) were trying to live out their faith in a more radical way.   So, you could say that Jesus was ‘associating’ himself with this more radical form of Judaism.  But he was also, in a challenging way, associating himself with sinners, which didn’t go down well with some.   He embraced Jewish fundamentalism at a time when Israel was occupied by foreign troops and ruled by a puppet regime.  Sounds all too familiar!   And, if that were the whole truth of the matter, Jesus may have become just another radical preacher.  But we need to probe deeper.

JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

What all four gospels also agree upon was that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus at this time.  In today’s reading from Matthew he tells us that: ^‘… when Jesus had been baptised, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with whom I am well pleased.”’ (Matt 3: 16/17)  So here we have Matthew writing of the way God proclaims Jesus as his Son.  Just recall those words and imagine a proud father telling the world – ‘hey, listen, this boy is my son!’ 

No doubt it’s what every parent feels as their child is baptised and shown to the congregation, but what we need to remember is that, more importantly, we’re made part of Christ’s body.  Isn’t that amazing?  To be made part of the Son of God, part of God’s self – do you ever wonder at that?  That’s why we should kiss each other at the Peace – to acknowledge Christ in our neighbour – and why we’re censed, because it’s a way of acknowledging that we reveal the glory of Christ.  Just let that sink in for a moment.

CONSEQUENCE OF BAPTISM

And that’s also why what happens after we’re baptised is so important.  Christenings may be wonderful occasions, but it’s how those involved go on to live out their promises after ‘the water has dried’ that really matters.   For Jesus. of course, there was no repentance for a sinful past; but there was a turning to the daunting task before him; a setting of his face toward Jerusalem where in about three years’ time he would fulfil his calling as Messiah – Saviour.  Christ’s Baptism represents a profound moment in his search for his personal vocation.  In those brief words, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with whom I am well pleased”, Jesus realised his identity.  So, this Feast also reminds us that each of us has been chosen and called as the beloved of God for a particular purpose.  This was his vocation.

VOCATION

Now I often say that a vocation is a way of becoming the person we’re called to be.  It involves a dynamic response, a personal “Yes”, to be moulded into what we have the potential to be.  The very word means ‘calling’ and involves listening, deeply, and responding to the movements which mould us.  Often, people speak of a vocation to be a priest or religious, doctor or nurse, teacher or artist.  But in the end, it’s about the way in which what we do with our lives expresses who we are.  And vice-versa.  And a vocation can be realised at any time in your life. 

As I grow older, I become more convinced there’s a vocation to be expressed through old age.   A calling to be receptive, more than active – receptive to God’s deepening call.  A call to prayer ‘in the depths’ – rather than a life spent mouldering in front of the TV, trying to re-capture our lost past or trying to look as if we’re 28 rather than 82!  A life to share, in whatever way we can, our Godly faith, hope and love.  I look at the wrinkled face of an old nun and that of some ‘glamorous’ celebrity and know which is more appealing ...

The remembrance of our baptism should spur us on to live out our own vocation.  To be Christ in our own way in our own place.  Every time we cross ourselves with holy water as we enter or leave church; every time we are sprinkled with holy water as happens today, we’re reminded of God's love, grace and forgiveness.  But we’re also reminded of our baptismal resolve to turn from evil and to follow Christ.

CONCLUSION

Two weeks ago, we relished the wonder of the birth of a baby: today we are faced with some of those consequences.    As the waters of Baptism and the oil of Chrism are poured over us in baptism, so we’re united in the death and resurrection of Jesus as he passed through the deep waters of death and rose into a new relationship with God.  The Spirit descended and a voice was heard saying: “You are my son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  (3:22)   Today, that baby is revealed as a man who will gradually realise his unique vocation:

I have given you as a covenant to the people,
   a light to the nations,
   to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
   from the prison those who sit in darkness. (Is. 42: 6-7)

The rest of Jesus’ life will work out his response to that calling. As Henri Nouwen, a Roman Catholic priest, writer, and friend of the marginalized wrote:

"The one who created us is waiting for our response

to the love that gave us our being.
God not only says: "You are my Beloved".
God also asks: "Do you love me?
And offers us countless chances to say, "Yes."