Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – C
January 12, 2025 8:30am
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton
Humpty Dumpty
I’m guessing that most of us have read or at least heard of the famous story Alice in Wonderland.
This was written by the beloved English author Lewis Carroll. Carroll also wrote a second Alice story, called Alice through the Looking Glass.
In this story Alice meets the character Humpty Dumpty. The conversation between Alice and Humpty Dumpty is what I am recalling this morning.
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.”
Baptism: Name and Shape
Well, this little exchange between Alice and Humpty Dumpty may help 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 would say, 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
So first, baptism “In the name of the Father” means that we look to a power greater than ourselves.
We believe that there is a God, the Father, the heavenly parent who has brought us into being. We look to God as our beginning and our end, and as our source of meaning and purpose.
We see this in John the Baptist in today’s gospel. He denies that he is the Christ and asserts that “One mightier than I is coming.”
So, baptism “In the name of the Father” means that we don’t make ourselves the center of life. We make God our center and grounding.
Our Shape: The Son
And then, we are to allow our baptism to shape us around the Son.
Notice that today’s gospel says, “After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized…” Interesting: Jesus is one with all the people.
I mean, Jesus had no need to receive John’s baptism of repentance, but he was one with others. He then showed this oneness in his compassion, healing, and just hanging out with others.
So, our baptism “In the name of the Son” means that we recognize our oneness with all other persons, no matter how alike to us or how different from us they are. And because of this, we live with a mission, as Jesus did, to enhance the life of others in some way, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Our Shape: The Holy Spirit
And finally, we are to allow our baptism to shape us around the Holy Spirit.
Our traditional Catholic theology defines the Holy Spirit as “the love between the Father and the Son.” Well, our baptism “in the name of the Holy Spirit” means that we allow the Spirit to flavor our lives with that love.
This love gets expressed in what we call the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These fruits are the effects of the Spirit’s presence within us.
Saint Paul names these: “charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Being baptized “in the name of the Holy Spirit” means that we allow the Spirit to shape our lives around these qualities.
Conclusion
So, 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.
