Feast of the Baptism
of the Lord
Cycle C
January 10, 2016 8:00
and 10:00am
Saint Margaret Parish, Bel Air
Humpty Dumpty
I’m
sure that most of us are familiar with the storywriter Lewis Carroll.
We
remember his famous story Alice in
Wonderland, and Carroll also wrote Alice
through the Looking Glass. This is
the story where Alice meets the character Humpty Dumpty.
Humpty
Dumpty is sitting on top of a high, narrow wall. Alice looks up and says, “And exactly like an egg he is!”
Humpty
Dumpty responds, “It is very provoking to
be called an egg – very provoking!” Alice
explains, “I said you looked like an egg,
and some eggs are very pretty.”
But
Humpty Dumpty is not amused and says, “Tell
me your name and your business.”
Alice responds, “My name is Alice,
but…”
Humpty
Dumpty interrupts, “It’s a stupid name;
what does it mean?” Alice asks, “Must a name mean something?”
And
Humpty Dumpty retorts, “Of course it
must; my name – Humpty Dumpty – means the shape I am – and a good handsome
shape I am too. With a name like yours,
you might be any shape, almost.”
Baptism: Name and Shape
Well,
this little exchange between Alice and Humpty Dumpty helps us to appreciate
something about baptism.
We
have all been baptized “In the name… of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” As Humpty Dumpty says, each of these names –
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – means something.
They
say something about our shape. The idea
is that we are to allow our baptism to shape us around God as Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit.
Our Shape: The Father
First, around the Father.
The Scripture tells us that God is the creator of all that
is. And so, we are to see all that is as
God’s creation and therefore as sacred.
This means especially in our times that we are to be alert to environmental
issues. On a personal level, we might
make sure that we recycle paper, glass, plastic and whatever else we can.
On a community level, we might support sensible policies that
reduce carbon emissions. So, being
baptized in the name of the Father means that we shape our lives around our
Creator and the gift of creation.
Our Shape: The Son
And then, we are to allow our baptism to shape us around the Son.
From the time of his baptism, Jesus lives with a sense of
mission. And so, we are to view our
lives as a mission from God.
This means that we are to do our part to benefit the kingdom of
God on earth. On a personal level, we do
this by being especially attentive to our family members and our other loved
ones.
On a community level, we might volunteer some time teaching
religion or leading a scouting program, things like that. So, being baptized in the name of the Son
means that we shape our lives around Jesus and his sense of mission.
Our Shape: The Holy Spirit
And finally, we are to allow our baptism to shape us around the
Holy Spirit.
Today’s gospel tells us that the heavens open and the Spirit comes
down from above. And so, God is now with
and even within us.
This means that we are to live with an awareness of God’s presence. On a personal level, we do this by making
some space for some kind of prayer or prayerful reflection each day.
On a community level, we do this by participating in Mass and
receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist which is the supreme way for God to be
with us. So, being baptized in the name
of the Holy Spirit means that we shape our lives around God who is present.
Conclusion
As Humpty Dumpty says, “My
name means the shape I am.”
We are baptized “In the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Let’s allow our baptism to shape us around
these names.
