You may
have noticed this about me.
I love
everything about baptisms, from conversations with parents and sponsors, to
pouring water and getting my sleeves wet to drawing crosses on foreheads.
I love getting to hold babies and introducing
everyone to our new sister or brother in Christ.
I love how
the liturgy is almost always the same for a baptism, but how every baptism is
different, because different people are involved.
So there
are all these different stories –- like the three children who all got baptized
at the same time, and one of them was so excited he said, “this is fun! I like baptizing!”
or the baby that grabbed both sides of my
stole as she was being lowered down to the font.
One of the
things I really liked when I first came to this congregation was that sometimes we would
have a number of people, babies and children, and sometimes even adults –
baptized at one time.
That was
exciting to me, both getting to know the people beforehand, and the large
crowds around the font on the big day.
I remember
that one day there were five people getting baptized – a 5th grader,
two third graders, a 4 year old, and a baby.
They were
all people new to the congregation, and one of the families included a single
mom.
We were
putting the service together and wanted her ex-husband and his family to be
included.
And, as a
step-mom myself, I wanted to be sensitive to everyone involved. But I knew that it might be awkward, and that
there are often really deep wounds, even when all the people involved want to
work together and do the right thing for their children.
So I was
nervous about how the day of the baptism would work out, and the potential for conflict as well as for
blessing.
I suppose
that on this day, I really wanted there to be peace.
Peace. That’s what Jesus offers to his disciples,
in the gospel reading today.
Here they
all are, in the upper room again, gathered around, and Jesus is teaching them
and telling them the most important things he wants them to know, to prepare
him for his death – to prepare them for life in the world – to prepare them to
be his disciples.
And even
though he goes on for five chapters, really, what he has to tell them has a few
simple things in it, that he says over and over.
“Love one
another. As I have loved you.” “The Holy Spirit will help you.”
I am giving you peace. My peace.
Not the world’s peace, whatever that is.”
Over and
over he tells them the same simple things.
Love.
Share peace. My peace. The Holy Spirit will help you.
And the
thing is – he’s not just telling the disciples in the upper room.
These are
Jesus’s words to us as well.
“Love.
Share peace. My peace.” He’s
telling us. “The Holy Spirit will help
you.”
And you
know – we all want peace.
I know I do.
Not just on
that baptism day long ago when I wanted things to work out well for that little
family that had trouble and conflict.
We really
want there to be peace. I pray for peace
in the world, for the wisdom to make peace, for a good night’s sleep when I’m
worried.
What about
you?
I want
peace in my family, peace in my community, peace among neighbors – whatever
that is.
So when
Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you. My
peace I give to you,”
I know I
get a lot of images in my head, from a general sense of contentment – ah, peace
– and a good night’s rest – to the peace that comes when enemies set down weapons and sit down at the table together.
There are a
wide varieties of images for peace – and we want them all. We want them all.
But what I
really want to hone in on today is the image of peace between us -- and peace between us and God.
Because I
think when Jesus is speaking about peace he isn’t speaking generally about
contentment, but he’s speaking about peace as reconciliation, peace as
something between us -- and peace as
something that is between us and God.
He’s talking about a peace that closes the
gap, goes the distance, overcomes fear and gives courage to do what Garrison
Keiller used to say that Powdermilk Biscuits do,
“give shy people the courage to stand up and do
what needs to be done.”
I want to connect Jesus’ word on this night
“Peace I leave with you” with Jesus’ words to his disciples when he came back to
them after he rose – he walked right through those locked doors and he stood in
front of them and said, “peace be with you.”
And we
might think he was just saying “hello”
-- after all, the Hebrew word for “peace” “shalom”
-- is also a greeting.
But I think
that when he told them “peace be with you”
-- he was not just saying ‘hello,’
He was also giving them
peace. His peace.
The peace
that closes the gap. The peace that goes
the distance.
The peace
that won’t let anything – not fear or failure or conflict -- not anger or even betrayal or death – get in the
way of his love – and his presence.
“Peace be with you.”
Peace. We all want peace. I know I do.
And
we receive this peace and we share peace every Sunday, when we come here.
We
come and we confess the distance we feel – the distance between us – the
distance between us and God.
We
come and confess our failures, our secrets, our failings, our fears, and we
hear again and again that God comes to us, that God forgives and heals and
loves and sends us – yet again.
Again
and again God gives us the peace of his presence – I am with you. Do not be afraid.
And
then we share this peace with one another.
The peace of God be with you always – we tell one another.
We
wish God’s peace on one another – friends, enemies, strangers – we close the
distance, bridge the gap.
It’s only a moment in the service, but that’s
what it’s about. Because we all want
peace. I know I do. And it’s a gift. And it’s our work, too.
Peace. It’s not about avoiding the newspaper,
because knowing the pain of the world can keep you up at night, sometimes.
But
it’s about reading the newspaper, and
praying for peace, and working for peace, however you can.
It’s
not about simply the absence of conflict, but the presence of God even when
there is conflict.
It’s not saying everything is perfect, even if
it’s not.
It’s about saying even though everything is
not perfect, we will work together, we
will serve together, and I will bless you with God’s peace.
And
we can be instruments of God’s peace…. Together.
So, on the
day, on that baptism day, you know – it was something.
All those
people, standing up at the font. The
four your old looking all solemn and being able to tell the congregation, “I
want to be baptized.”
The two
third graders and the 5th grader and their families around them –
and you know – now that I think about it – they have all been on many mission
trips as youth at this church.
And the
sponsors, receiving candles, and hearing the words, “Let your light so shine
before others that they may see your good works, and glorify your father in
heaven.”
The
congregation welcoming.
But the
moment I most remember is this: at the
close of the service, the single mom and her ex-husband shared a hug. I don’t even remember who started it, and it
probably isn’t important.
Peace. We all want peace. I know I do.
I don’t
think that everything was magically perfect for them after that, but they
shared God’s peace that day -- the gift of peace. And even after that, sometimes, I imagine.
Baptisms. I love baptisms.
The wet
sleeves, the babies, children, adults – all children of God The promise of it. The abundance. The stories.
The images
of quiet babies resting in the promises of God, receiving the peace of God, and the images of screaming
babies awakened to the less-than-peaceful world, still receiving the peace of God.
Walking up
and down the aisle and saying, “this is your new sister or brother in
Christ.” Sharing that peace.
The peace
of Christ be with you always. Amen
1 comment:
I needed that today.
Thanks.
Lindy
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