Theme Conversation: Baptism of Jesus and a Dove (Feb 15, 2015)

Theme Conversation - Baptism of Jesus and a dove

Over the past four weeks, our children have been learning about the baptism of Jesus. Their lessons have inspired me to talk about the story with our children and all who are young at heart.

When you google the baptism of Jesus, you can find some good drawings and paintings that illustrate the story, and what strikes me about these images is how they mirror the beauty I find in this story, which is the beauty that relationships in faith create.

In these pictures and in the story in the New Testament, there are three actors who participate in Jesus’ baptism.

Jesus, John the baptist, and God.

Jesus, who is divine yet human, who is fully enlightened to understand his true identity, his relationship with God, his destiny and path, humbly comes to John to be baptized.

Jesus, fully enlightened and aware of his path, does not choose to be alone, but to seek acceptance by his community, and by God through baptism. He knows that the love of God is alive only with others, and within community.

John the baptist respectfully receives Jesus’ request.

God is pleased to participate in this affirming event. I think that it’s a very important part of this story to notice that God “desires” to take part in this affirming event. God is so pleased that God wants to be part of this moment.

Our children coloured in a picture of the event in their children’s church (show the colouring sheet), after they learned the story of Jesus’s baptism in the Jordan river. On their colouring sheet they read, “The heavens opened and the Spirit like a dove descended unto Jesus. And there came a voice from heaven, saying “You are my son, in whom I am well pleased.”

When I was young, I wondered, why a dove? It wasn’t that I was wondering why God sent a dove instead of an eagle or a raven or even an angel;.I was wondering why God wanted to send something tangible and concrete that everyone could see. I thought, even if God didn’t send a dove, wouldn’t people know that God was there with Jesus and John and the crowd, anyway?. Why did God want to send a dove? Did God even need to do that for any real purpose?

Now I think I am getting a deeper understanding: now I think maybe God sent the dove to Jesus’ baptism not to prove that God was there, but to - applaud - like the way we clap when we’re really proud of someone. God is so pleased with our growth, God desires to take part in in our live’s events, baptism, confirmation, everything that helps us grow in our relationship with God. God so loves to know us, to be with us, to grow with us, and God really wants to be part of our growth.  

Will you pray with me?

Dear God

Thank you for loving us, and seeking us to love and to give love as blessings.

You create us to know you, in relationships and in hearts,

so we give thanks to you.

Help us to see you and your love in the heart of everyone we meet today.

Amen.