‘What did you expect?’

Мир тобі Сбогодні Водокрешення Вибачте - sorry.

What I just said was, ‘peace be with you’. Today is the feast day of Jesus’ baptism. You probably weren’t expecting that. Ukrainian is not a language that many of us know, I suspect. My grasp is minimal. Yet, the truth remains. It is the day we celebrate Jesus’ baptism. And wishing you peace on this day is true as well. Things happen that we don’t always expect, or understand - and yet, they might be things that have an immense impact upon us at the same time. They can be epiphanic, as I like to say. A light goes on! We have an Epiphany. And of course it is now Epiphany. In the passage from Isaiah 42 that we read, the prophet tells us to listen for the voice of God. The former things have come to pass. New things I now declare, says the prophet!

Nothing stays the same - God is all about surprises and changes and things that we didn’t expect. The passage tells us to sing to the Lord a new song!

Psalm 29 is a song of praise to our God, The Holy One. It tells of the voice of God upon the waters, and the power of God’s voice. It says may the Lord bless God’s people with peace. Where do you find that peace?

And then we heard the gospel reading in Matthew.

The words of the prophet Isaiah and the words of John the Baptist are meant for us whether we understand them or not. There is so much in the words of the prophets like Isaiah or of John the Baptist that we may not fully grasp. Our world order, our lives - everything that we think we grasp, the prophets tell us will be upended. Things will be changed. But here’s the thing: God IS change. That’s what God does. God is always creating anew.

In Matthew we come face to face with John the Baptist out in the wilderness. What an odd duck he seems to be. He is the one that Isaiah spoke of: the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord. Prepare the way. Living in the wilderness south east of Jerusalem is not exactly holiday territory. John is preaching, baptizing and telling those who come to listen - get ready!

Jesus goes out into the wilderness to see John, his cousin. Jesus recognizes John’s authority and asks to be baptized by him. John thinks that it should really be Jesus baptizing him. This request doesn’t seem to be what he expects. He sees something very significant in Jesus.

But John does Baptize Jesus, there in the Jordan River. And in case you’re scratching your head about baptism, that wasn’t something that John and Jesus started.

Baptism originated from Jewish purification practices. The idea of having a ritual bath - to immerse oneself in water went back a long way. Jewish practices still include such things. You may have heard of Mikvahs which are like baths in Jewish places of worship for cleansing. If you have ever been to a Jewish cemetery (there’s one on Cedar Hill Road just south of Hillside. ) you may have noticed that there is a place by the entrance for the washing of hands. After being there, or at a funeral - one is supposed to wash ones’ hands - water on each hand three times. The idea is to wash away death, mortality and the water is a symbol of returning to life.

Water is about new life. And as Jesus is baptized, a dove descends upon him, a sign …

And God’s voice is heard proclaiming “This is my son with whom I am well pleased!” God’s voice declares for all to hear, this is who Jesus IS. It’s not just a private message from God to Jesus, but a public announcement! Probably not what anyone expected. This is a new song!

Have you ever heard God’s voice? Maybe it wasn’t for all to hear. Perhaps it was a quiet whisper in your ear. But it got your attention. Maybe it was a moment that was unexpected but it changed you somehow.

In June last year, I had a bald eagle swoop down over my head. I could have touched it if I had seen it coming. And as soon as it did that, it was gone. It definitely got my attention, and left me wondering. I had not expected that. Are you up to something, God? In order to cross a new threshold, and leave something in the past behind, you may need to let some things go. Forgiveness has power and so does not forgiving. Holding on to past injustices, traumas and hurts can weigh you down. It takes courage to step through that gate, to leave some things behind. To sing a new song!

God’s voice hovers over the water, and at Jesus’ baptism that voice is heard to say: “This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” God says to each of us, to each of you - You are God’s Beloved.

John the Baptist is a sign of a new way . His followers; his movement actually lasted long after Jesus’ resurrection. He was about changing direction and finding a new path. Have you ever spent time in the wilderness? Figuratively or literally? Either way - it isn’t where our normal everyday routines happen. It isn’t generally a place of comfort. And it is not always sweetness and light. We may not wear camel’s hair, but any wilderness can be frightening, daunting.

The writer Parker Palmer has a wonderful book entitled Let Your Life Speak. He is a Quaker and tells about a time in his life when he wasn’t sure of where God was taking him, leading him. There is a traditional phrase among Quakers that says - way is closed or way is open. He writes about a conversation with an older woman whose wisdom he trusts and he says: “People keep telling me that way will open.” She says to him “…a lot of way has closed behind me, and that’s the same guiding effect.” He began to look at his frustration in his lack of direction in a new ‘way.’

John O’Donohue was an Irish priest and writer whose work I also greatly admire. He too spoke of a similar concept when you are in the wilderness. He says the path you took to get here has washed out. ….It is difficult and slow to become new. What is being transfigured here is your mind. ….

The wilderness is a liminal time - a new threshold is waiting to be crossed. It might not be what you were expecting… Where is God’s peace, shalom trying to come closer to you? Can you hear the brush of angels’ wings?

Is there a place where you always seem to experience God’s peace? It’s good when there is a place that is that for you. In Hebrew that is Makom Shalom. Place of peace. Maybe it’s in this sanctuary. Maybe there is a special place that gives you this. For me my Makom Shalom is often being down by the ocean or being in my painting studio.

But finding peace within, and being transformed in the crucible of the wilderness is a deeper, heavier journey. Are you carrying too much? What do you need to let go of? What do you need to forgive? It may be forgiving others, but it may be forgiving yourself. Do you have a little carabiner attached to your hip with all those resentments, regrets, judgements, frustrations dangling together? Let them go. Listen for God’s voice.

Calm us O Lord, as you stilled the storm. Still us O Lord, keep us from harm. Let all the tumult within us cease. Enfold us Lord, in your peace.

Мир тобі. Peace be with you.