Reflections from The Hill – The Call – Luke 3:15-22

 

In just about any parish anywhere, hardly a month goes past where there isn’t a titanic struggle over the question of baptism. It generally starts with a phone call, proceeds to a meeting (or even a series of them), gets followed up by an arrangement about dates and times and finishes with The Show itself.

The warfare, generally, isn’t fought between the parties, although I’ve witnessed some humdingers of those. This battle takes place between the ears of the clergyperson who’s been given the job of doing The Show and it’s been known to have a debilitating effect on the inner peace of the said Sky Pilot.

This is due, in part, to the Clergyperson’s superior knowledge about the context of The Bloke’s own Baptism and what followed. S/he knows, for example, that his baptism wasn’t about candles, white robes and parties but about struggles in the wilderness with demons.

That warfare is taking place because the danger these demons pose and the connection this has with a person’s journey of the spirit has been swamped by the ritual razzmatazz of getting the kid done.

My guess, for what it’s worth, is that the first bit of that last sentence doesn’t rate a mention in too many Baptism Classes these days. More’s the pity.

Mind you, it wasn’t the case when I was at The Coalface, either; I’ve always found it easier to go along with organizing The Show than to introduce folk to demons who can turn rocks into bread.

All this raises the question about the reason for baptism. The Bloke’s baptism, for example, is about his identity (read: vocation or calling): “You are my Son, my Beloved”, words coming to him in the intimacy of prayer.

From what I can read, there may not have been a whole bunch of eavesdroppers there, either, so it was for his ears only, a really personal encounter.

There’s still a lot of stuff to happen in Jesus’ life. Whatever else there might be, there’s the life-long drama of him living out his identity (read: vocation or calling) and meeting the great expectations that get laid upon him as he goes.

Maybe it’s worth pointing out that The Bloke’s calling (read: vocation or identity) isn’t about his job or his career; it’s not about a challenge to mission, that he should get out and talk up the Kingdom. Not yet anyway.

The Baptism is first and foremost the delight that The Big Fella has in his beloved, this chosen one, this child. It’s not a call to do stuff but a call to be something, not an activism but a vocation that names.

As with him, so with us: our first calling, our baptism (read: vocation) is one that simply loves and names us: “You are my child. I am well pleased with you.” This is where it begins and – let’s be bold to claim – it’s where it finishes, in the arms of the One Who Holds our Future.

Between the one and the other, between the beginning and the end, this identity (read: vocation or call) will sometimes morph into action.

The old books call it mission and ministry but there are other things here as well, not the least of which is learning how to wrestle with demons and to be waited on by wild beasts. As I say, it ain’t an easy road.

We learn very early in life to tell when it’s our mum’s voice calling us for meals or the chores or our homework. There’d be demons there if we didn’t hear.

Then it became the voice of parents, teachers and others calling us, shaping our lives in some way or another. There might be dragons there, too, for many vocations (read: call or identity) were initially wrapped in the voice of someone else.

Not all of those voices were the Voice of God and not all of them had to do with our journey. That’s why we need discernment.

However, I believe it’s a blessing to thank God for the joy of purpose in our lives and for the times when the call to something specific was, and still is for some, crystal clear.

Even when that Voice is muffled and our responses almost beyond our abilities to perform them, it’s good to remember that the calling (read: vocation or identity) that actually matters comes first and will continue right to The End.

Tasks, activities and duties matter – of course they do – but what lasts, what abides – our calling (read: vocation or identity), our belonging and our future – is heard right there by the waters: “You are my child, beloved and delight.”