Playing in Holy Water

I was babysitting yesterday for a 4 year old and his baby sister. We were at a convent/convention center because his parents were there for a conference. We walked all around the building, checking things out. Being the curious 4 year old that he is, my little friend was drawn in a certain room by the sound of running water. We drove the stroller into the room and immediately my little friend, we'll say Ben, went to the front of the room to the source of the running water. It was an impressive source- a huge, stone baptismal font. The waist high creation was made of limestone, no doubt taken from the rock of the hills nearby. The water flowed from a shallow pool on the top down the sides of the rock into a stone-lined base at the bottom. The water flow was soft and light. In fact, Ben leaned against one of the ravines in the rock and got his shirt and pants all wet. I rolled up his sleeves and he immediately stuck-- no, splashed-- his hands in the pool on top. He then looked at me like perhaps he had done something wrong and said, "What if someone sees us playing here?" And I smiled and answered, "I don't think anyone will mind." We splashed a bit and played in the water. Ben traced the paths that the water took down the rock. I couldn't help but think about the symbolism of the moment. What better place to play? Ben obviously felt completely comfortable in the chapel room and at the font. I did too. As we played and flicked each other with water, one of the sisters came into the room on her way down the hallway. For a moment I thought she might tell us to stop, but instead her actions completely surprised me. She came over to the font, smiled at us and dipped her hand into the water. Then, she pulled her hand out and looked Ben right in the eye and flicked water at him before continuing on her way out of the room. When she got to the door, she turned back and waved at us and then blew Ben a kiss from the doorway.

I know that I'm reading a lot into this but I can't help it. It was absolutely...cute...and charming. But it was also a neat thing, theologically, to see this whole moment transpire. I mean, what better place to play? Safe in the waters of baptism. Secure in the knowledge that we are loved and noticed. Rejoicing in the fact that we are baptized and welcome in the body of Christ.

Safe in the waters of baptism. Martin Luther reminds us that when wash our faces, we should remember our baptisms. Keep the flowing waters of God's love close to your heart and mind and rest safely in the waters of baptism. Your baptism, God's promise revealed. Play safe in the waters of baptism, wherever they may flow.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Amy

Sometimes I wonder....

For some odd reason, I can't seem to get the concept of televangelism out of my head. Scary, I know. Trust me, I'm not a budding TV preacher or anything of the sort. But I can't help but wonder what makes people-- ok, let's be clear, mostly men-- get on national TV stations and y the things they say and do the things they do? I mean really. "If you call this toll-free number, someone will answer your call and say a prayer for you. And when you give us your address, we'll send you a free package of 'miracle manna,' made exactly as the Bible describes it." Really? I can get this free package of bread from you, just for calling and giving my address? This manna (or water, or cloth or [insert Biblical-sounding item here]) can cure my disease, pay my bills and mend my relationships? Wow. Sign me up. Apparently all I have to do is get the thing in the mail, follow the instructions and watch God's miracles start to take place in my life. If this is truly the answer and the cure for suffering, why doesn't everyone do it? How about we take a million of these little things and cover the ground of the Middle East? Then we'll just pray and peace will come to the region, right? How about we just lay a bunch of pieces of this miracle bread on the United States Constitution? Then all of the injustices and unfairness of our laws will end, right?
Somehow I don't think it can be that easy. If miracles were easy and could happen all the time, they wouldn't be miracles. A miracle is something that shakes us to our cores and most likely terrifies us. A miracle is nothing to peddle on late-night heal-a-thons.
One of my favorite books is Leif Enger's Peace Like a River. In his book about the coming of age of a Minnesota boy, Enger weaves a poetic but accurate vision of miracles. Take a look and you'll see what I mean.
Back to televangelism. In college, I wrote a column for the school newspaper for a year. One of the articles was about televangelism. I wrote that if Martin Luther were alive today, he would be a televangelist. I still hold to that idea a bit but I know now that if our favorite reformer were alive today, he wouldn't be peddling free Biblical bread or miracles on TV. He would, in fact, go off on those who did such things. Ah, Martin Luther. Aren't pieces of miracle manna or holy water a sort of personal indulgence? A ploy used by those in power to raise the (false) hopes of those who will so desperately cling to any chance they can get?
Beware, friends of easy miracles. While miracles do occur, they are often not in the form that we expect. We go through our lives looking for things that we could count as miracles. Normally, I don't like the be the one to quote Bible verses as a way to make a point, but this one stuck in my head.
"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it." -Hebrews 13:2

Perhaps we miss some miracles because we are looking in the wrong place.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Amy

In the beginning...

I decided to start a blog to help chronicle my time at seminary and the random things that happen in my life. I'm not sure what all will be written here in the future, but I can promise that it will never be (too) dull. I also have a habit of making random lists of things (ok, sometimes as something to do during class...) so those might find their way onto this page too.

I think I'll post some of my sermons etc here when I feel like I have a good one. I'll also write about some experiences and my thoughts. One of my best friends talks about her blog often and I thought it sounded like a good idea. So, we'll see how this goes.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Amy