All Saints Sunday
What is baptism? Think about it. Symbol, sacrament, foundation, inclusion are all some of the meanings which pop up when you type this question in. In seminary we learned it is the outward and visible sign of an inward invisible grace. In other words a mystery and yet we try to define it.
Most of us in this church were baptized when we were infants. When you grew up in the church it was likely you saw this act being performed often, and now we renew these vows on high holy days such as this one. I want us to really think about it today though.
First, baptism in the celebration of The Great Vigil of Easter marks all of the passings through troubled times and hardships of the Hebrew people. From creation, to Moses, and then to the prophets we mark the waters and signs which mark the faith. So you could say baptism is the beginnings of faith.
This does not promise an easy life. It marks wanderings in wilderness, enemies pursuing us, times of visions and deep mystery when we are alone. It marks us as survivors of life and all that life offers us the difficult and the gracious.
Baptism asks of us certain things. Questions we wrestle with all our life. Will we renounce evil? Will we repent and return? Will we respect people? Will we do the best we can for all of this? This means even now today. Will we stand for respecting everyone? Do we forget this is one of our promises? And the beauty of it all is wrapped in returning. Returning to the waters which unite and make us into the body of Christ.
These are powerful and thoughtful things. We should stand at this and receive the grace bestowed on us. It is intimate and refreshing and as joy filled as our Psalm today.
Last is the oil of Chrism. It is blessed by the bishop and given to each church. In it we are marked as Christ's own forever. This is the last seal of the service and I think the most wondrous. No matter what we do, no matter where we go, and no matter how far we feel separated from God we are not. We have been marked and loved in everything and through everything.
This is the biggest part of forgiveness. It is not washed off through years or through our own guilt. It is still there and a part of us so we can return to God when ready.
Baptism marks us all. Some of us live out that mark to our dying day. In love and faith because we hear the call of love that made us. Some of us need only to know we are not our greatest mistake, but our mark is there to remind us we are always sealed and part of this family.
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