Baptism of the Lord

1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (Genesis 1 NRSV)

4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1 NRSV)

“CREATING A FAMILY”

Among my friends are some younger folks who have recently started families. When I have been in contact with them, they often have stories of the things their children have done and said. Some are touching and some are hilarious. One friend and his wife had a son and then they adopted a girl from a part of the world the offers little to orphaned children. It is a brave thing to bring children into the world. It is also very brave to make children who need parents your own. The song by John McCutcheon, “Happy Adoption Day”, captures some of this feeling:
No matter the name and no matter the age
No matter how you came to be
No matter the skin, we are all of us kin
We are all of us one family.

Adoption, like birth, makes real families. Adoption makes real families with all their quirks and joy, struggles and love. Adoption sets lives on a new path.
The reading from Genesis is of the beginning of creation. God spoke and the world came into being, starting with light. It is how everything starts, is placed into motion, including eventually, our lives. Present at this was the Spirit of God hovering over the waters. The Spirit is the agent behind creation. The light was good and that ended the first day. It is the birth of the world.
That same spirit was present at Jesus’ baptism. It, too, is a beginning. It is the first thing in Mark’s Gospel that Jesus does. And it is unusual. He goes out to John’s baptism which called people to repent from their sins. Only Jesus has not sinned. He does not need to repent, we do. John said that the one was coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit, and now he is here, only first he stops to be baptized. This is not because he needs it, but to show us something. He receives what we need. It is a way of saying that Jesus, the Son of God, became human and lived as we do. And something happens that points out what baptism is about. The Spirit descends on Jesus and a voice proclaims that he is God’s beloved Son. Once he hears those words, then his ministry can begin. Whatever else happens, he can begin with these words.
We also see something from this event. We join Jesus in God’s family in baptism. We receive the Spirit in the waters of the sacrament. We are adopted into God’s family. Jesus is the Son of God; we become God’s children by adoption. We become like him. We can hear those words about us when God claims us, by God’s promise and Spirit in the sacrament. God makes us into a family in which each person is special, loved, and finds what he or she needs.
Scott Walker is a pastor in Texas who tells this story of what it means to be in a family. He mentioned a young man who was not athletic enough to play football so went out for the marching band where he played the trombone. It was his way of supporting the team. His parents supported the son. They never missed a single football game when he marched with the band or a band concert, either. They parents, it turns out, are deaf from birth. The young man concludes: They’ve never heard my voice. They’ve never heard a single note from my trombone. But they’ve always been there for me.” We become part of a family in which we are valued.
We not only become part of a loving family, we hear words spoken about us, over us. Those words can inspire us. Those words draw us together.
Those words from heaven are important because they tell us who we are: We belong to God and to each other. We are a family, when things go well or when they don’t go well. We are on the journey, like any family, together. In all the circumstances of our lives we remember the words.

Jesus was baptized to show us that he is with us in our lives. And we are baptized to share in the life that he has. We can hear God’s words to him as words to us because we share that life. It creates a family. May this blessing, the Prayer of St. Teresa, remain with you as you continue to find your place in God’s family:
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. Amen.