Extra Meditation for the Feast of the Lord's Baptism

 

The Jordan River is 156 miles long, basically running north to south from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. Jordan and the Golan Heights are to the east, the West Bank and Israel to the west.

Maybe you'll remember the pre-Civil War American Southern Gospel Song, All My Trials. It was popularized in the protest years of the 1960's by singer Joan Baez. 

River of Jordan is muddy and cold

well, it chills the body but not the soul

all my trials, Lord, soon be over.

All through history and right up to today, the Jordan River is a river of demarcation: your side and our side. The Jordan River, while basically running north to sound, is also a meandering river. Like human history itself, it meanders from war to war. And in many places along the way, the Jordan is indeed "muddy and cold." 

It's into that river that Jesus stepped down to accept baptism. But what does it mean?  God is no shirker, but taking us seriously, in Christ, God immerses himself in the twists and turns of human existence; God immerses himself in the muddiness of our lives. 

That descriptive word, muddy, pretty much sums it up. Some people are knee deep in the muddiness of life. Maybe, even up to their necks in the muddiness. We might think of people in financial or legal difficulties. But someone might also be stuck in that muddiness which is ignorance, hatred, resentment, prejudice, dishonesty, delusion and fantasy, addiction, cowardice, bitterness, fear...

Every depiction of Jesus in the Jordan shows him essentially naked. Nakedness is a symbol of being vulnerable, laid bare, exposed - at least to oneself. This few days after the Feast of Jesus' Baptism might offer us an opportunity for a frank conversation with the shivering Jesus. Imagine standing with him, our feet in the mud. No defensiveness. No rationalization. No excuses. I can reveal to him where I am stuck. Or I can ask him to help me get free. I can thank him for taking me so seriously that he would take off the glory-robes to be with us in the silty waters.

Intercessions ~ Feast of the Lord's Baptism

Ethiopian Baptism of Jesus

We pray for those who in January/ celebrate birthdays,/ anniversaries or other days of remembrance./ For gifts of good health,/ safety and peace./ We pray to the Lord.

On the Feast of the Lord's Baptism,/ grant us joy in the fact of our own having met Jesus in the water./ We ask blessings for ourselves as we strive to live our lives in goodness,/ as Christ lived his./ We pray to the Lord.

War wastes resources,/ displaces people,/ kills children and despoils the planet./ For the creative will to find peaceful alternatives to war./ We pray to the Lord.

The Jordan River is named as one of the most endangered ecological sites./ May we learn friendship/ and reverence for the planet God has entrusted to our care./ We pray to the Lord.

May the President of the United States/ and those who govern and lead in every place,/ be healed of selfishness,/ dishonesty and greed./ May they have servant-hearts./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray,/ as Australia continues to battle deadly and destructive fires./ For those who generously and kindly help/ wherever there is accident,/ war or disaster./ We pray to the Lord.

For family members and friends struggling with sickness,/ weakness,/ addiction or other troubles./ We ask to be uplifted and restored where we feel disappointed,/ weary or overwhelmed./ We pray to the Lord.

Intercessions ~ Feast of the Lord's Baptism

The Sun-Reflecting Jordan River

As Jesus steps down into the River Jordan,/ God begins to reclaim creation./ We pray for the earth,/ the water,/ air and soil,/ the living things,/ the plants and animals,/ that have been degraded by human greed and destruction./ May we love the planet God has entrusted to our care./ We pray to the Lord.

The land of the Jordan River is often a land of poverty,/ division and dispute,/ a land of people demoralized by fighting./ We ask for the will to solve problems with honesty and courage./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for Pope Francis who is preparing to visit Panama City for World Youth Day,/ then back to Rome for a global bishop's conference on the clerical sex abuse crisis/ which has so weakened and shamed the Church./ We pray to the Lord.

As Jesus is Baptized,/ we pray for ourselves and each other who have been baptized as well./ May we realize in some new way what it means for us to be the friends of Jesus./ We pray for those for whom Baptism signals a life of poverty,/ threat and trouble./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the many people whose lives are impacted by the current government shutdown./ We pray for the President of the United States and our Congress/ to be mindful of the citizens who are feeling terrible anxiety and insecurity./ We pray to the Lord.

For the children we know,/ and for the multitudes unknown to us./ For those who live stressed lives of desperation and crisis,/ in family dysfunction,/ exploitation or neglect./ For the turning of adult hearts to the needs of children./ We pray tot he Lord.

It's God's World

Now it happened that when all the people had been baptized and while Jesus after his own baptism was at prayer, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in a physical form, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, today I have fathered you."  Luke 3:21

When I think of Bethlehem I must never imagine the love of God to be small, like a baby. But God's love is radical (radix = root) and wild. 

It doesn't make sense: a God who joins sinners in the river of repentance. Eastern Christians sing about God's re-possessing all of creation, beginning with the waters of the world, as Jesus stepped down into the river. And we are made primarily of water! This means, it's God's world no matter what happens. 

And everything is changed now as Jesus joins the river scene. Here, God is searching, forgiving, restoring, healing, reconciling. As sad and as awful as the world can be at times, the first truth is this good news - it is God's world always. Pity, a lot of people, even many Christians, no longer believe this.

Intercessions ~ Feast of the Lord's Baptism

The Jordan River

Prayer is the flight of the heart to God./ Grant to your Church and all who desire it,/ a renewal of this gift of prayer./ We pray to the Lord.

On this Feast of the Lord's Baptism,/ we pray for those who live without potable water,/ or where there is fighting over water,/ or where people are spiritually dying of thirst./ We pray to the Lord.

Bless families everywhere in their struggles./ Bless the children and the abandoned elderly with companionship,/ support,/ and all they need to live in health and peace./ We pray to the Lord.

Give us a new desire and resolve to create a peaceful world./ Inspire humanity where it is devolving in greed,/ power-abuse,/ lies and destruction./ We pray to the Lord.

Guide those who seek public office/ to the strengthening of conscience,/ good intention/ and the purification of hearts./ We pray to the Lord.

Comfort through justice and charity,/ those who are without basic necessities for whole living./ Heal the deep inner wounds so many suffer/ and those who are violent and angry./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the sick,/ those exhausted by war/ or the flight from conflict and disaster./ And we commend to God's parent-care the souls of all who have died./ We pray to the Lord.

Intercessions ~ The Lord's Baptism in the Jordan

Cathedral Bell ~ Notre Dame de Paris

Remembering the Lord's Baptism/ we are mindful that the Jordan River is a place of division today./ We ask blessings for people of good will/ working for the healing of ancient grievances in the Middle East./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the people of Paris and all of France where deadly violence occurred this week./ We ask God/ who opened the Red Sea/ to open hearts to conversion./ We pray to the Lord.

Pope Francis travels to the Philippines this week./ We pray for his journey to be fruitful and for the pope and many pilgrims to be kept in safety./ We pray to the Lord.

In the New Year we pray for family and friends who are struggling in any way./ We pray for people who suffer in the winter time from cold,/ homelessness or financial problems./ We pray to the Lord.

Where adults fight, children suffer./ We pray for a more sensitive world/ where the needs of children are a first priority./ We pray to the Lord.

Eastern Christians celebrated Christmas this week./ We pray for a unity of love among Christians everywhere/ modeling friendship and reconciliation for the world./ We pray to the Lord.

That we would live without enmity/ and for those who have died recently by violence and war/ to know God's gifts of peace and fullness of life./ We pray to the Lord.

Intercessions for the Feast of the Lord's Baptism

The Jordan River entering the Sea of Galilee

Pope Francis has announced that he will make a pilgrimage to the Middle East this Spring./ We ask the blessings of safety as he travels/ and for his presence and message to advance the most recent initiatives for peace in the land where Jesus was born and baptized/ We pray to the Lord.

During that trip to the Holy Land/ Pope Francis will meet with Bartholomew, the Patriarch of Constantinople./ We ask for that meeting to be received joyfully by the Christians of East and West,/ and for the healing of ancient divisions - a new unity of love./ We pray to the Lord.

In  his Jordan River Baptism,/ Jesus stepped down into the water/ and God began to reclaim and sanctify anew all of creation./ We ask to be good stewards of the earth-paradise given to us/ and for a new reverence for the essential gift of water./ We pray to the Lord.

In his Baptism/ Jesus joined sinful humanity at the river bank./ We pray for our consciousness to be raised,/ so to become aware of the greater sins of the Church,/ the nation and the world./ And for our personal transformation away from entitlement,/ waste and greed./ We pray to the Lord.

We stand in the prayer of friendship with the many who are sick,/ cold,/ hungry,/ alienated or afraid./ We ask for the blessing of consolation/ found in being lifted up and helped./ We pray to the Lord.

And finally we remember the dead/ asking for them the forgiveness of sins/ and entrance into God's land of light,/ healing and wholeness./ We pray to the Lord.