Welcome on the first Sunday after Epiphany for a service dedicated to the
Baptism of Christ, which we enact at the font and over the Regent’s Canal.
In this special way we celebrate the holy festival by bringing together rites
of the ancient church with an Orthodox blessing of the waters, in an
observance both solemn and jubilant. To quote St. Sophronius of
Jerusalem, the founder of today’s rich liturgical feast, “Today the whole
creation is watered by mystical streams”…to which I shall add “beginning at
St Mark’s Regents Park”.
For together we waited and prepared for the promised infant throughout
December, then celebrated his arrival with wonder and joy afresh…we
observed solemn feast days that followed to remind us of the sheer impact
of the incarnation and commemorate some who played their role in God’s
plan – St. Stephen, St. John the Apostle, The Holy Innocents, The Holy
Family and Mary the Mother of God. Next, we welcomed the Magi, visitors
from the wider world, come to worship the King and Lord of all as a young
child, falling to their knees in his humble temporary home. Here are some
thoughts for our own blessing of the waters as God’s people of this parish,
in a style that I hope honours the words and witness of St. Sophronios and
our Saviour.
For today we are invited to Jesus’ adult baptism by his cousin John in the
river Jordan, at the very place where the high priests bearing the Ark of the
Covenant stood in the middle of a miraculously dry riverbed as rejoicing
Israelites streamed past, into the Promised Land at last. Today is the
launch of his ministry on earth, in real recorded time, the first of only four
events from our Lord’s adult life prior to Passion Week to be reported in all
four gospels. May this account remain with us throughout the season, to
sustain our devotions and make us thankful for our release from bondage –
for release from our bondage of sin through Jesus Christ who steps for our
sake into the same river. For each baptism, including you and your
children, family members and friends presented at the font, is the
beginning of new life with Christ and amongst his people. Pray we make of
this great gift all we might.
Today we are called to the first ever baptism of water AND the spirit,
foretold by Cousin John, aka the Baptist, the only baptism whereby the one
immersed is perfect and without sin, yet chooses to join our dark human
swirl for pure love of mankind and obedience to the Father’s plan to restore
his whole creation. By the quantum power of righteousness, Jesus Christ
cleanses the waters and blesses the whole world with the presence of our
living triune God. In one blessed moment, conceived in one image, we
glimpse the Lamb of God given for us in glorious unity with the Father
receiving his Son and with the Spirit descending to ignite and comfort us
below, beginning with Jesus himself.
Thank you to William, our priest and vicar, for devising today’s order of
service to uphold and celebrate the baptism of Jesus Christ in all its cosmic
dimension. To close with the words of St Sophronius, “Today things above
keep feast with things below, and things below commune with things above.
For Thou art our God, who, with water and the Spirit, restored our nature
made old by sin.” Welcome to new life through our Saviour and High Priest.
Amen