Baptism of the Lord (C), January 9, 2022—Acts 8:14–17; Isaiah 43:1–7 and Luke 3:15–17, 21–22

12th century mosaic

in Cappella Palatina,

Palermo, Italy

 

Acts 8:14–17

 

Holy! Holy! Holy!

 

What makes

the Holy Spirit

but the fact,

the revelation,

that we’re not alone!

Peter and John

laid their hands

on the Samaritans,

and they knew.

That’s all it took.

And so it always is—

the handshake,

the warm hug,

the embrace,

the touch on the arm,

the laying on of hands,

the feel of water

from the community’s pool

(no matter its size);

and all of these announce

to one and to all,

that he is not alone,

that she is not alone.

You. Are. Not. Alone.

That’s how God works.

Holy! Holy! Holy!

 

Scott L. Barton

 

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

 

+ + +

 

Isaiah 43:1–7 and Luke 3:15–17, 21–22

 

Unplumbed Depths

 

We think we know this Jesus and

We've got him all pinned down,

Until he gets himself baptized,

Like everyone in town.

But then a voice is heard that he's 

Beloved! God's well-pleased!

Remember how Isaiah said,

With passion, God was seized

With love for people cast afar,

And pleaded they would know

The steps God takes so they might see

God's love still overflow?

These waters Jesus passes through

Say you can never plumb

The depths, nor height, nor length of love

That nothing overcomes.

 

Scott L. Barton

 

But now thus says the Lord, 

he who created you, O Jacob, 

he who formed you, O Israel: 

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; 

I have called you by name, you are mine. 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; 

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, 

and the flame shall not consume you. 

For I am the Lord your God, 

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. 

I give Egypt as your ransom, 

Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. 

Because you are precious in my sight, 

and honored, and I love you, 

I give people in return for you, 

nations in exchange for your life. 

Do not fear, for I am with you; 

I will bring your offspring from the east, 

and from the west I will gather you; 

I will say to the north, “Give them up,” 

and to the south, “Do not withhold; 

bring my sons from far away 

and my daughters from the end of the earth— 

everyone who is called by my name, 

whom I created for my glory, 

whom I formed and made.”

 

+  +  +

 

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

 

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”