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The Indelible Mark of Baptism
Like many Lutherans, I was baptized as an infant and have no memory of the day that I was washed with the water and the word and baptized in the name of “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” As a pastor, I have said these words at the baptism of infants as young as a few hours old to a 99-year-old. No matter the age of the one being baptized, I am always moved by the act of this sacrament; for in this act we are blessed with the promise of a God who forgives and loves us. This sacrament reveals to us God’s love, who we are, and to whom we belong.
This indelible mark of the cross, placed upon our foreheads, can never be erased. It is a lasting symbol of our naming and claiming as children of God.
The Gospel text for this week reminds us of this blessing as we gather with Jesus along the shore of the Jordan River. As his cousin, John the Baptist, washed Jesus with the water, we are told that the heavens opened up and the voice of God proclaimed, “you are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
That same voice announces God’s pleasure, God’s love and keeping at our baptisms as well. This indelible mark placed upon us comes with an indelible blessing.
As Roseville Lutheran Church walks through the Season of Epiphany, we will be exploring how Christ reveals to us how we are to live into the promises that have been given to us.
Questions to Ponder
This week we ask you to consider the blessings of the Sacrament of Baptism:
- As we live into our future, as you live into yours and as you hear the words, “You are my child, my delight, you make me proud,” how does this make you feel? As God’s beloved, what is God expecting of you?
- What does it meant to live out this blessing? Does it change the way you look at the world? Does it reveal to you that you, too, are a blessing?
- What does this mean to us as a people, as a community? During these challenging times, what new life is RLC being baptized into? What does God seem to be asking of us as a congregation?
This indelible mark of baptism is a sacredness that is etched upon us. May we continue to remember this blessing and seek to live into the blessing, each and every day.
Comments
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Dennis Sanders January 11, 2021 10:17am
The mark baptism gives us an identity as the children of God and I think in light of last week's events, we are reminded that being children of God should compel us to preach God's good news to the world in word and deed.
Christopher Hagen January 11, 2021 12:30pm
My past at times rises to haunt. I can easily swirl down in despair, and so clinging to my baptism promise, that God has forgiven and I am no longer the person I was, is literally life saving.
Remembering this about others helps me check my judgments. Those whose views and experience contrast with mine do not have to be "wrong," just a different way God has created.