Matthew 3:13-17

1st Sunday after Epiphany [Baptism of the Lord (sic)] - Year A

 

So often we would prevent others from receiving what we have. Somehow or other we play an exaggerated zero-sum game when it comes to ourselves—If “they” get some of what I have, I won’t have anything!

Here Baptizer John has a variation on that by preventing himself from offering what he has. He plays a “poor me” game.

Jesus has a helpful approach to change—“For the moment, let’s just try it as an experiment and see what happens. If it turns out the way you say, I’ll do it your way. If it turns out what you have to offer is more than you think you have, we’ll just take the results.”

The Baptizer consented to this approach and baptized Jesus for repentance of sins.

Turns out that the Baptizer’s baptism brought forth a great deal— belovedness, both restored and affirmed.

Now the game is afoot. Angels singing of “Peace on Earth” is one thing; a dove’s coo of “beloved” is quite another. The first takes responsibility away from ourselves and the second energizes us to take one more step toward a healing of our past (see Healing of Memories by Dennis and Matthew Linn) that our present and future might blossom and grow.

- - - - - - -

Did it really take Jesus some 30 years to come to baptism? Perhaps it takes maturing in this wobbly old world to come to a perspective of “Let it be”. And for baptism to be filled with doves and voices rather than simply ritual, it takes that kind of time to know what to do about being beloved, to even be able to hear that affirmation.

You who are baptized — are you beloved? or just baptized?

You who are not baptized — are you beloved? would that change if you were baptized?

 

As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience

  

 

Two important voices play off one another here:

"Let it be" and "Beloved".

When we are able to come to the point of saying, "Let it be" we are open to being able to hear an echo of the far-off hymn, "Beloved."

In hearing the word "Beloved" addressed to us, we are able to relax enough to say to the pressing world around, "Let it be".

This cycle is a source of peace and action. It allows us the present action that responds to long-range benefit as well as short-term. It calls us to call others "Beloved" in such a way that they are likewise opened to the possibilities of peace in their life.

When we are not practicing the presence of G*D, we are not able to let the world around be the world it is that it might become the world it desires to be. When we are not practicing the presence of G*D, we are not able to let our world be beloved in its own time. When we are not practicing the presence of G*D, we are not able to claim the belovedness that is ours.

Did it really take Jesus some 30 years to come to baptism? Perhaps as it takes awhile in this wobbly old world to have the perspective of "Let it be". And for baptism to be filled with doves and voices rather than simply ritual, it takes that kind of time to know what to do about being beloved, to even be able to hear that affirmation.

You who are baptized — are you beloved? or just baptized?
You who are not baptized — are you beloved? would that change if you were baptized?

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/january2005.html

 

 

Doves have a long history of being a multivalent symbol.
Doves portend rescue for ark-encumbered folks. The foretaste of a new start.
Doves are sacrificial elements.
Doves are lovers.
Doves are weak, mourners.
Doves are stupid, easily deceived, senseless.

How then does a dove descend into your life?
Is it a native sign flitting along the edge of sight giving a sense of hope, of there being a blessing just around the corner?
Is it a stand-in for you while you catch your breath, call a time-out to rectify an poor choice?
Is it a metaphor for the way you are loved and cared for that goes beyond the way in which those words or experiences have been eroded by overuse?
Is it a mourner for the loss in your life to wrap you round with understanding comfort that will leave you strangely strengthened?
Is it a part of G*D's profligate nature, deserved or undeserved, it flutters now this way and that, ending, somehow with you.

How then do you enter the lives of others as a presence of G*D?
Are you holding out hope to the hopeless, encouraging the downtrodden to arise?
Are you a martyr, in the best sense of the word?
Are you letting others know they are beloved, chosen by you?
Are you mourning with the mourners that you both might find comfort?
Are you just plain silly about who you will be with so it doesn't make any difference who they are because all are worthy?

Doves of the world arise; we, quite literally, have nothing to lose.

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/january2005.html

 

 

Peace is preached through people's lives. Peace was seen in Jesus' life and invites us to preach peace to others as a way of testifying to his preaching and to our call. In peace, Jesus' preaching and our preaching come out the same. There is no partiality when it comes to peace preaching, each is blessed - period.

So we rejoice when we see another blessed with the affirmation that they are beloved. Even though we know it will lead them to the desert, we rejoice that the blessing given will be sufficient for wilderness times and dark nights of souls.

We are able, thus, to also rejoice when we finally catch on to our own blessedness. We receive with gladness and look around to see what test we will be able to meet with it.

Love Peace with all your heart and mind and soul and strength and whatever other little categories might be brought to bear. Love your neighbors blessedness as you love your own.

- - - - - - -

we advise
better to be baptized by you
we consent
let it be so

we advise
we consent
better lies there
but we are here

we let it be so
we give up better
we give up advice
we consent

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html

 

 

Coming from the "East", the Magi crossed the Jordan River to bring gifts to Jesus. Coming from Galilee, Jesus comes to the Jordan River for another gift and will then cross the Jordan River for additional gifts in the wilderness.

The River Jordan is a place of crossings and openings in both directions. Gaelicly speaking it is a "thin place." Metaphorically, it is at the Jordan River that Holy Land meets Not-Holy Land and, in the meeting, those designations disappear into one another. Our distinctions fail us in the waters of Belovedness.

John's baptism becomes an opening to Jesus to his particular belovedness. John's or Jesus' baptism becomes an opening to us for our particular belovedness. We are authorized to carry on the tradition of opening others to their belovedness.

It is easy to get caught in the trap of the particulars of Baptism and miss the larger prophetic pronouncement – Belovedness (regardless of its etiology).

The questions that lie ahead will have to do with what we will do with a vision of Belovedness that includes us and what will keep us from fulfilling its blessings in and through us.

Yes, remember your Baptism and be glad. Be glad you are Beloved by G*D and Neighbor. What? You haven't recognized your Belovedness? Oh, well, you are anyway!

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2008_01_01_archive.html

 

 

So often we would prevent others from receiving what we have. Somehow or other we play an exaggerated zero-sum game when it comes to ourselves - If "they" get some of what I have, I won't have anything!

Here Baptizer John has a variation on with that by preventing himself from offering what he has. He plays a "poor me" game.

Jesus has a helpful approach to change - "For the moment, let's just try it as an experiment and see what happens. If it turns out the way you say, I'll do it your way. If it turns out what you have to offer is more than you think you have, we'll just take the results."

The Baptizer consented to this approach and baptized Jesus for repentance of sins.

Turns out that the Baptizer's baptism brought forth a great deal - belovedness restored.

Now the game is afoot. Angels singing of "Peace on Earth" is one thing, a dove's coo of "beloved" is quite another. The first takes responsibility away from ourselves and the second energizes us to take one more step toward a healing of our past (see Healing of Memories by Dennis and Matthew Linn) that our present and future might blossom and grow.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/01/matthew-313-17.html

 

 

A Long Way

I've come a long way
Galilee to Jordan
takes intentionality
not to mention
time and energy

I've come a long way
and then I hear
I'm to give
what I came to get
and I say no

I've come a long way
now I have only one word
now is the time
now go ahead anyway
now now now

I've come a long way
did I mention
Galilee to Jordan
don't try to get out of
doing your job now

I've come a long way
from Galilee to Jordan
from refusal to accord
from underwater to heavenly height
from be-loved to beloved

I've come a long way
Galilee to Jordan
isn't so long any more
Jordan to Jerusalem
is now a longer way yet

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/01/long-way.html

 


And in one fell swoop we leap from birth to baptism some 30 years later.

Our lives often proceed in the same manner. We have a significant event. And then another. And another. All the while missing some transition point between. Take any timeline of your life and you see this happen. Sometimes we can come up with “lesser” significant moments between, but still miss the ever-present background against which such times emerge for a moment.

I expect there are a multitude of unexplainable moments that just as surely move us from one stage of life to another. And, for some, just as surely keep us stuck in our current stage well-passed time to move on.

Even though we are making this jump to a new time, give at least a moment’s consideration to all the mysterious ways in which you have come to this moment. It is a gift to be cherished and taken advantage of.

Basically, whether we can track our progress or not, the background against which we live is that of Belovedness. Sometimes we can experience it more clearly than others. Sometimes it is a literal dark night of body and soul. Whichever time you are in, whether you can sense it or not, there is a movement of care for you. To have this insight is to have darker nights for the loss and brighter hope to build for those who will follow.

Belovedness does not make everything better; it merely makes it possible to live toward something better.

===

A physical analogy to a background of Belovedness before which we live is the 3 Degree Kelvin Background Radiation or Cosmic Background Radiation.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/01/matthew-313-17.html