Tonight is a special night in the church calendar, traditional for baptisms. So we are privileged to have three today! It’s wonderful to see the families and sponsors standing round the baptismal font together with the candidates. This, to me, is a visual reminder that God is with us at all points of our lives, at any age or place – each of us representing our own specific stage of a journey. But when does this journey begin? What are we about to do here? In this, or in any other sacrament such as Communion we will have soon, who is truly “doing the job” – God, priest, or people, or all together? 

And are we doing the job or showing what’s been done? Sometimes, when truth is mysterious, it’s easier to approach it through symbols. Which one did you notice in the liturgy, or expect in the next rite? People round the font; font itself, fire, giant candle, small candles? Water, oil, and light. The materials we see all around us, yet almost magical: nourishing, refreshing, healing, cleansing, illuminating, awakening… The symbol I especially want to highlight tonight is the exchange of promises we call a “covenant”. 

God’s own promises resonate through the imagery in the texts we read: a tale of salvation amidst the floodwaters symbolized by a rainbow, or the safe crossing of the Red Sea through its parted waters – both represents freedom and transformation. This font is reminiscent of the well in Isaiah, where we quench our spiritual thirst and find refreshment in God’s grace and love. The Romans text explains baptism as a new lease on life; and the gospel reminds us that whatever obstacles to it we consider insurmountable, God will roll away. Out of the ark, through the sea, from the grave – the path is open, the journey is about to begin. In return, we “simply” promise that we will travel alongside these kids, just as others once promised for us – with God’s help, of course.

Speaking of symbols, one of you suggested to me earlier that the small candles we held at the beginning of this service, and give out at baptisms, might symbolize the fragility of our own little lights of faith, as compared to that of the giant candle that stands for our tradition and community. Whenever our individual lights go out, as our interest in church or hope in God may at times wane, there’s always a place where we may go to relight it. Indeed, I see this in my ministry: the turbulence of teen age, busyness  of young adulthood, limitations of older age, illness, grief and doubt – these might keep us away from the church, but not God from us. Tonight, we, humans, together with God will open the door for these three kids to a place where they will always belong. God creates the door, and never ever locks it; but, now they will know that they are always entitled to come in and stay, and see the Paschal light that will always await their return.  

Let us now give thanks for the gift of new life that we celebrate through this Easter Vigil service as a whole, and through these baptisms especially. May the light of Christ shine brightly in their hearts, and in ours. Amen.

Reflection question:

As you witness baptismal rituals, I invite you to ponder what their symbols mean to you, personally – what associations they invoke now, and how their meaning has changed for you over time. Which symbols do you notice in particular? Yes, the main ones are water, oil, and light, but might there be some other details important to you, such as the font, shell, or circle of sponsors and family members gathered with the candidates, etc.?