Baptism of our Lord, 2003.
Ordinary Sunday 1: 12th January, 2003
Fr John Davis, Vicar of St Peter's, Eastern Hill
And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." (Mk 1:11)
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near... (Is 55:6)
The Christmas cycle is ended. Now on this Sunday after the Epiphany we observe the commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord by John in the River Jordan. After thirty years of obscurity, the Lord's public ministry begins. Now for a further three years, he will travel around Galilee and the hill country of Judea and Jerusalem itself. His teachings, his healings, his challenges, his showing of the ways of God in those three years have never been forgotten. It was and it is a call to ministry: a call to love and service. His ability to change lives has always been striking. Today we honour the start to that adult witness and attempt to consider again what this might mean to us at this time.
A call to ministry: a call to love and service. I am preparing this sermon at the same time as the requiem mass is being offered for the repose of the soul of a former assistant priest of this parish: Fr Peter Rickards. Fr Peter served here 1978-80. He was my immediate predecessor in that position. He was faithful and hardworking, plain speaking and direct – with a particular gift for reaching the needs of those at the edge and the questioning young. He died this week of a heart attack at the age of 60, having served for many years as the parish priest of the small country parish of Bunyip in Gippsland. His widow Ailsa is in our prayers. While I looked after a wedding here, Fr Neville was able to represent our parish community at the funeral. A priest who dies before his time having worked hard in hard places is recognisably one who has followed in the way of the one whose baptism we mark today. May he rest in peace.
The wonderful passage from Isaiah is one of enormous hope and confidence. There is absolutely no doubt but that good things will come from what God has on offer. For this not to happen is as impossible as good soaking rains not causing things to grow and flourish. That is the image used. This is a God who is declared to be rich in forgiving. This is a God who is close and accessible, even though our ways and our thoughts are far removed from their best potential. This is a God who is comfortable with the images and language of everyday life and the natural order – things that we understand or things that we thoroughly enjoy, like a sumptuous feast of all that is of the best quality. All this is without payment and it is available even for those who have nothing with which to pay. These are gifts freely given. These are needs abundantly met. And of course, they are much more than the simply physical. At the heart is the spiritual hunger that is being addressed. Listen, we are told and our souls will live. This is the rich covenant, the rich relationship that the people of God are offered by their God all through this part of Isaiah. Water in all its complex symbolism is given to those who thirst. It is the way into a new life. And what is in the first instance offered in the waters of baptism is incorporation into a new life and a new relationship with God.
And first Jesus himself went this way. Those who are his followers do likewise and hope for and give thanks for the gifts and grace that flow from taking that step. This is seen as the fulfilment and renewed expression of that bountiful relationship that is bubbling through everything Isaiah was describing.
The version of the baptism of the Lord by John that we have in Mark's gospel is simple and short. Already the impact of what John the Baptist had been saying and doing was enormous. In particular it was creating a major stir in Jerusalem, with implications that were political as well as spiritual. But John has just made clear that he is just the precursor, just the preparing forerunner – there is someone coming after him much greater, much more powerful.
And then the one who was being waited for came. It was Jesus of Nazareth who came forward right at this time to be baptised. The event was striking and dramatic as we have it described. There is something new and fresh here. This is someone to follow. This is someone to change your life for. Yes, it is clearly intended to indicate in the strongest possible terms God's approval and endorsement of this emerging ministry. "This is my son, the Beloved." We are meant to take notice. The Spirit spectacularly descending like a dove. We are meant to take notice. The prophet and teacher from Nazareth in all humility going under the waters of the River Jordan in this spiritual act of cleansing and repentance – this dying to the old ways, this rising up to new life – just like all the others who had responded to John's confronting challenges. We are meant to take notice. This is the promised one. This is the true expression of the continuing relationship between God and God's people. His teachings, his healings, his love and his sacrifice – this is the new direction that the unfolding purpose of God is starting to make clear.
At the very least, all this talk of baptism and new beginnings here at the beginning of another year is cause for some small reflection. Here we are, with the ink on our own possible New Year's resolutions, as it were, scarcely dry. Did you make any resolves this time round? I think most of us do find ourselves in reflective mode at this time. What could be done better? What opportunities might be taken up? What do I really hope for? What might I be doing differently to make it all work better? These are personal things at the personal individual level on a small scale. But little things done differently do make a difference. We can and do make resolutions about things like eating less or exercising more – and maybe this time! It is very possible that a new discipline in those two areas alone would bring a substantial improvement to the quality of life that each one of us could experience. I can put my own hand up to that at once. But that leads on into spiritual quality of life issues. They are all related after all.
Remember again the promises taken on our behalf at our own baptism? Remember the baptismal vows and confirmation vows we have ourselves renewed over the years?
Do we turn to Christ? Are we to be followers of that one whose baptism we recall today? Is his way to God our way?
Do we repent of our sins? Are we truly sorry for the things that we have done that are wrong or have wronged others? Do we want to turn away from that?
Do we reject selfish living and all that is false and unjust? Do we renounce all that is evil? Do we wish to turn away from all that as well?
These too are all lifestyle questions, spiritual lifestyle questions – these are to do with values, direction, purpose, inter-relationships, and community. Those who were on the banks of the River Jordan on that day that we are remembering today were also grappling with these sorts of resolves, because these are fundamental issues about being alive and about how we are to live. As individuals alone there is little hope that we will do much other than try and try again. As people of relationship with God, as covenant people sharing in the gifts and the promise; sharing indeed in the grace of baptism, we do indeed try and try again – but we do it together. Together with each other and together with God, in this call to love and service.
And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." (Mk 1:11)
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near... (Is 55:6)
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