Do we live ‘by default,’ or with intention?
The first Sunday after the Epiphany we always hear about the Baptism of Jesus; the lectionary assures it and the Gospel tells us of Jesus coming to the river Jordan and being baptized by John. It happened again this year as part of the routine cycle of readings.
However, do notice that Jesus’ coming to John was not routine for him. He came of his own accord intending to be baptized. He did not just happen by, nor was he importuned by others. His action was by intention, not default. By choice, not chance.
And by choosing to be immersed, Jesus’ life was changed forever. Baptized at the hands of John, his identity and his calling were confirmed and his ministry empowered. Immediately afterwards he began his public ministry. For Jesus to be baptized was to say it’s time to sink myself into this calling. After his baptism, extraordinary, even miraculous, actions occurred.
Baptism preceded miracles. Immersion came before empowerment. The power of the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at his Baptism and his true identity was no longer hidden or in doubt. Choosing to be immersed seems to have made all the difference.
That truth has not changed. To be intentional about immersing ourselves in what we believe, in the values and calling of the Gospel, is to incorporate in our decisions and actions that which is beyond our understanding, yet gives great freedom and purpose. The inclusion of which is directly related to how we spend our money, what we give our attention, and, in both the short and long term, how we will invest our lives.
The caution I would extend is that we can too easily live by default, simply doing again what we’ve done before in the living out of our faith. It is certainly possible to be neither intentional nor immersed in it, thereby missing out on the clarity of identity and calling that Jesus knew from the moment of his baptism. Acclaimed National Geographic photographer, Dewitt Jones, observes that the familiar patterns which sustain us can also be our prisons if we fail to open ourselves to new perspectives, and to do so deliberately, avoiding life by default.
During the four regional days with clergy in Advent we reflected on these words of Alvin Toffler: The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn”
As we enter into what the New Year offers, conscious of the great needs and opportunities around us, may we immerse ourselves more deeply, as Jesus did, intentionally to live more fully the calling we’ve been given and see more clearly the wonder it can bring.
