The Dynamics of Baptism

ONLINE REFLECTION, FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (TRINITY SUNDAY), YEAR A,  JUNE 14, 2020 ST. PAUL’S, FOLEY

TEXT:                        MATTHEW 24:16-20

Today is Trinity Sunday, one of the great observances of the church, following on the heels of the Feast of Pentecost – the birthday of the church, celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s begin with the Collect of the Day and the reading of today’s gospel:

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 24:16-20

Last Sunday, we celebrated the Gift of the Holy Spirit.  Today we observe Trinity Sunday. Implicit in each is the Holy Spirit and Baptism.

Jesus tells his disciples in the last verses of Matthew’s gospel, to “go into the world, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

There are two components of baptism I want to emphasize: justification and sanctification.

Justification is first.  In the act of Baptism, we are justified before God.  We are made right with him.  Our slate is cleaned. As page 298 in the Book of Common Prayer says, “Holy Baptism is the full initiation into Christ’s body, the Church. The bond established by God is indissoluble.”

As Jesus says, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Paul emphasizes that point, too, in Romans 8.

But, is our baptism like the dog catching the car – we don’t know what to do once we have it?

That is where sanctification comes in.  For most of us, it is a lifelong process of growing in Christ – of emulating his life and teaching.  We grow in holiness.

That is our goal – to become more like Christ, day-by-day; to grow in grace; to see others and the world through his eyes.

If you need to refresh your memory as to what that is, I would encourage you to review the Baptismal Vows that we have all taken – either in our own baptism or in the baptisms of others.  They are on pages 302 to 305 in the Book of Common Prayer. As one of our collects says, Read, Learn, Mark and Inwardly Digest Them.

God bless you all.