Baptism of Our Lord. January 7th.
OK… so what happens next?
The couple who have been together for several years are walking along a stunning mountain track when they come across an open plateau. The vista and scenery are spectacular.
The handsome young man goes to set up his camera equipment a little way off explaining that this is going to be great. His girlfriend is perplexed and not quite sure what is going on.
The camera looks towards them and frames them against a breathtaking backdrop.
With a noticeable spring in his step, the young man walks back to his girlfriend, looks her in the eye and says … Nothing.
Intrigued and curious the young lady asks
‘OK, so what happens next?’
In her poem, Jan Richardson points out that the Archangel Gabrielle is aware that once he steps over the threshold, Mary’s life will be changed forever. For Mary, there will be no going back to her uncomplicated, quiet life.
The angel’s visit will slice Mary’s story in two, dividing all the days before, from all the ones to come.
We also have such moments.
A winning tattslotto ticket would be such a moment. A grim medical diagnosis, confirmation of a pregnancy, the birth of a child, the arrival of a new pet into the family home, a wedding.
The sacrament of reconciliation is also a life-changing moment. The penitent has the slate wiped clean using the counsel and authority of the confessor. You know how it goes… “Whosoever sins you forgive they are forgiven..”
Jesus’ Baptism is also one of these life-defining moments. Once Our Lord emerges from the water His public ministry has begun. He can’t go back under the mucky waters of the Jordan and somehow be unbaptised. He’s out there now, for all to see, for everyone to hear, for anyone to love and for all to reject him.
These moments, these life-changing events are special and unique in and of themselves. But… they are only the starting point. What follows is also very important.
In the example of the person with the grim medical prognosis we frequently see how they use the rest of their life for a very fruitful and inspiring ministry. We are left humbled, moved, enthralled and encouraged. Resolved once more to get our own stuff together and to try in different ways to be the person that the Master has called us to be. You can all probably think of someone, who under the most crushing of circumstances, shone brilliantly and brightly in magnificent ways and in so doing changed you.
It is what happens next after these life-changing moments that matters. The consequences of these special moments must take flesh in the grist of our every today. The penitent comes away with a fresh resolve to live life differently. The marriage is just as important as the wedding. The raising of the child or the pet is just as important as the birth or the bringing home of the boundy new creature.
The baptism of Jesus starts out lovely. Right towards the end of the gospel, the voice of the Father is almost like a hug. It all seems gooey and luscious and right. ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you, I am well pleased.’
Hey! What could possibly go wrong?
But ….Whatever else Jesus knew of his role and his many titles conveyed by the prophets of old, this was the one he knew first and best in his humanity.
This was the one he knew so well that even when his very life depended on his claim, he could not deny that he was the Son, the blessed. It was the title that would be flung at him in mockery as he was dying
“If you are the Son of God come down from the cross”
“You are my Son, the beloved; my favour rests on you. Some favour. Yes, this was heard by Jesus at his baptism and when we were baptised we were joined into his family and we also became a child of God. Nothing more, nothing less. Certainly, he did us a favour, but when God’s favour rests on us.. look out. He means business and we can never be the same again.
The couple who have been together for a number of years are walking along a stunning mountain track when they come across an open plateau. The vista and scenery are spectacular.
The handsome young man goes to set up his camera equipment a little way off explaining that this is going to be great. His girlfriend is perplexed and not really quite sure what is going on.
The camera looks towards them and frames them against a breathtaking backdrop.
With a noticeable spring in his step, the young man walks back to his girlfriend, looks her in the eye and says … Nothing.
Intrigued and curious the young lady asks
‘OK, so what happens next?’
‘This is what happens next’ and with that, he descends to one knee, produces a ring and then, right then, in that very second, in this very serious but thrilling business, their lives are spliced in two, dividing all those days before from the ones to come.
OK, so what happens next…?? Well, they are just beginning to find out, just as we are finding out, until that life-changing moment when we find out what really happens next and we see ourselves as He has always seen us.