3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
3:16 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.
3:17 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."
3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,
3:22 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."
Today we celebrate the baptism of our Lord - this story is the story that makes sense of our own baptism and it draws us back to the wonder of God made flesh; the wonder of creation being redeemed and restored through Jesus. As he passes through water, he blesses it so that we might receive the gift of LIFE as we pass through it. We need water to survive, to live and to live forever.
Many of the children in our midst have been baptized at an age where they will remember the sacramental rite. The feeling of the water running down their heads or being plunged beneath it, if they were immersed. They may remember the feeling of oil on their foreheads and the warmth of the candle's flame as they held it front of them. Others were babies or young children at their baptism and they may have a picture with their parents and god parents and a candle in their room at home. They will likely know the story of their baptism, if they wailed all the way through it, or slept soundly; who their godparents are; who was present to celebrate with their family. And if they have grown up in the church they will know what it means to be welcomed into the covenant of God and into this family - the church.
Take some time and encourage children to tell what they know of their own baptism or the baptism of a friend or sibling. Perhaps you will want to have a bowl of water in the classroom maybe you can place it in the centre of the circle or pass it around; encourage children to put their hands in it, to let it run through their fingers. Maybe you want to have a pitcher and give students each a glass of water to drink - reflect on all the ways that we need and use water in our lives.
A couple of years ago Don did a baptismal class for children - it was a simple and yet profound teaching looking at the symbols of baptism: water, oil and light. In exploring water he first showed a picture of a pregnant woman and talked about how babies grow in the womb - in water - that has wonderful properties enabling life to develop. We considered how our bodies are comprised of 60% water and how much water our bodies require each day. He also had an arial view of the world in which we could see the bodies of water on the earth and begin to grasp how necessary it is for all life on earth. Finally children put their hands through dirt, before long it was up to their elbows and in their fingernails, if they scratched their nose it was on their faces - it was everywhere. Though it was fun to muck around in at the beginning, it wasn't long before it was a nuisance to them and they wanted to wash it off. The children plunged their hands and in some cases their arms into clean water bringing to light the cleansing properties of water and drawing the spiritual parallel of water cleansing us of sin and bringing us to newness of life.
The in the baptismal liturgy we hear the following words read over the water at the baptismal font:
Praise God who made heaven and earth,
All who keeps his promise for ever.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All It is right to give thanks and praise.
We thank you, almighty God, for the gift of water
to sustain, refresh and cleanse all life.
Over water the Holy Spirit moved in the beginning of creation.
Through water you led the children of Israel
from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land.
In water your Son Jesus received the baptism of John
and was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah, the Christ,
to lead us from the death of sin to newness of life.
We thank you, Father, for the water of baptism.
In it we are buried with Christ in his death.
By it we share in his resurrection.
Through it we are reborn by the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, in joyful obedience to your Son,
we baptize into his fellowship those who come to him in faith.
Now sanctify this water that, by the power of your Holy Spirit,
they may be cleansed from sin and born again.
Renewed in your image, may they walk by the light of faith
and continue for ever in the risen life of Jesus Christ our Lord;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be all honour and glory, now and for ever.
All Amen.
Take some time to give thanks for the sacrament of baptism, for Jesus who identified with us in baptism and leads us into life; give thanks for the forgiveness of sins, for a God who makes all things new.
This might be a good opportunity to share about what your baptismal identity means to you. You may also want to invite someone to come participate in your class and share about their baptism and what it means to them. Perhaps this conversation will spill over to the dinner table.
May God fill you with his Spirit as you prepare; may the time you spend in preparation and with children this week be full of thanksgiving and joy.
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