Weekly Readings Reflections: The Baptism of the Lord

Our readings for the Baptism of the Lord Sunday are:

God's revelation comes in many forms. Sometimes God reveals Himself in helping us transform guilt, shame, and trauma into opportunities to grow in empathy and resilience. Some of my best managers usually had one question after some work-related disaster: "what have we learned from this?"
Where do you need healing in your life?
How would things be different for you once you have healed in that area?
How would you be a different person in the wake of that healing?
What work do you see ahead of you as you walk in that healing process?
Is it worth it?

If anyone asked you whether our God is stingy, you would doubtless immediately reply that God is generous in all His gifts. Fair enough. But what does that really mean day to day?
Where has God been not just generous, but bountiful in your life lately?
How was that bounty over the top, more than you could have imagined, greater than you though possible?
Did you see that gift of God as a gift at the time?
What can we do to be more open to such abundances of God?

You can tell a lot about a person by asking them what they are passionate about. Their passion might be music from the romantic era, or great sculpture, the poetry of Keats, or hiking Mt. Whitney, whatever the passion that someone has, when they celebrate that passion, they feel connected, more alive to extravagant possibilities, more alive.
What are your passions?
How do you find time for those passions?
Where do you feel that they came from?
Do you think that you can become closer to God in the midst of passion?

For most of us, baptism is just the beginning. Look back over the years since your baptism.
How has your baptism changed you?
How has your baptism changed others?
Try to imagine that scene, when you were baptized. The family there for the ceremony, the priest, the church, the weather outside. How did your parents feel at the time? Look up the ceremony itself and read what was said at your baptism.
If you were able to go back there as your adult self, what would you tell your parents?
In your mind, pray with those present over you as you are baptized, and give yourself a special blessing. What would you pray?

The Candle

lay there in its box, top shelf of the china cabinet.

A good deal shorter than it was the first time it had been lit.

His slightly shaking hand gently lifted it from its cradle,

And he put it into a solitary candle holder on the table.

"85 years ago, I was given this candle.

My parents accepted it on my behalf.

And they promised to share the light of Christ

With me, that I might share it with others.

Every year since then, they would bring it out,

On the anniversary of my baptism, light it again, and remember

Remember their promise, and remind me

That I was put here to share The light, be a light.

This candle is all that I have from them, and it's enough

To connect me to what matters most about my youth.

I light it once more today, to honor their sacrifice,

And to renew that promise made so many years ago.

I never know how many more times I will light this,

So I try to savor the smell of the beeswax

Observe the detail of the carvings in this old wax,

Remind myself that life is at once precious and uncertain.

Thank you for being here with me to touch once again,

My deepest roots, my strongest hopes, the well

That I draw life from daily.

To make each day full of light and life."

Shalom!

Weekly Readings Reflections