Baptismal Paradox

Gospel

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”—Matthew 3:13-17, NIV

Pastoral Reflections

What does it mean to celebrate baptism, the journey from death to life, the dying and rising with Christ, in a world that has experienced and witnessed both the tsunami that came without warning through India, Indonesia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand in 2004 and the 2005 hurricane season--Katrina, Rita, Wilma--whose devastation communities are still working to address?

Baptism for those who see a river as a source of life, cleanliness, and nourishment is a different sacrament than for those who see the river as full of crocodiles. An international seminary student expressed to me one day her incomprehension of our strong emphasis on baptism as American Lutherans: "I always feel like I'm drowning in baptism here in the U.S."

Here is a paradox of the baptism of Jesus. On the one hand, it is the way that he "fulfills all righteousness" or shows himself to be who he ought to be, a man of integrity, virtue, one in right relationship with God. On the other hand, it is a precursor to his dying and rising. Yes, a voice from heaven announces to John, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." But Jesus isn't given long to bask in the descent of the Spirit of God; after his baptism he is led to the desert to fast for forty days and nights, become famished, then be tempted.

This paradox is what we face as we are baptized as well. On the one hand, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. We are marked with the cross of Christ forever. We are called, even chosen. God takes us by the hand. But for what? So that we can be given as a covenant to the people. To those who are chosen by Jesus as witnesses, as we hear in Acts, and who eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead, as we do every time we gather for Holy Communion, comes God's command to preach. We are called to tell the story that Jesus is the one ordained by God as judge and that through him, all who believe receive forgiveness in his name. It is important to tell the story on this day that not only pastors are called to preach. This is the kind of speaking we are all urged to do--telling the story of how Jesus was anointed, how he lived as a healer and one who did good, how he was killed and how God raised him and allowed him to appear to witnesses. This is the one!