January 10th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

The Baptism of Jesus

 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

Reflection
John was preaching repentance and hope. The crowds came to John to hear how they needed to repent and get ready, but it didn't end there. Get ready for what? There was the hope involved in the getting ready. When we get ready we anticipate something. When we get ready we expect something. Did the people get ready for John perhaps? Or someone else?

As we prepare ourselves and get ready, we also set ourselves to offer ourselves to whatever we are getting ready for. We lean forward and are ready to accept. We are open to the message or the gift or the vacation or whatever it is that we are preparing ourselves for. We get ready. Here John is telling us to get ready for someone that is more powerful than he is. We are getting ready for someone that is fantastic and amazing and even a bit to be feared because of judgment. Are we ready?

John shouted out to individuals to repent and prepare themselves for something greater. Jesus came not so much in fear but in the love of God for the Church. Jesus came to show us how to love one another and become God's people. John came to the individual but Jesus came to the Church. Sure, Jesus comes to each one of us but it's not to end there. Jesus comes to us to gather us together and give his love to all of us. Jesus comes into relationships and drives us to one another in love.

Jesus is baptized and is praying. Jesus was with God in prayer. Jesus was one with the Father and one with the people he was with in baptism. Jesus prayed and the unity of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon him and all those baptized throughout time. In prayer Jesus first sought God, not some thing or some magical healing or some list of stuff, but Jesus, in prayer first seeks God's presence.

In our baptism we seek God. And through the presence of something we can understand in the earthly element of water we receive the heavenly promise and gift of the Holy Spirit, poured out upon us for life. We receive new life and gifts abundant to use for a purpose that God will set before us and give to us. After baptism we pray and we acknowledge everyone's baptism. We acknowledge the presence of God and are gathered together as one in the unity of the Holy Spirit. In our baptism there is that individual element of relationship that is moved into the corporate realm of relationship that unites us with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit along with God's Church on earth and in heaven throughout all time.

In our baptism we become the fuel for that fire that John speaks of. Our lives scream with passion and joy for what God has done for us. Just as John spoke with fire in his words, God gives us the life to live in that same passion to declare to all the world what God has done through Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior.

Prayer
Lord, in our baptism you come to us and set us on fire... individually and as your Church... and you gift us and call us and send us in love to all the world... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen