Dear Friends,

 We hope that you are safe and well.

 Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. Jean in her homily shared the story of a little girl in the 4th grade responding to the question why is the Baptism of Jesus important by saying: "Because that's when He got His job."

Today's Meditation lets echo Jesus' job/mission and ours. Sharon Dickinson sent along this reflection combining the thinking of Richard Rohr and Mary Luti to help us continue to take on the identity of God calling us God's Beloved, in whom God delights and reinforcing that in others by the way we treat them.

We invite you to join us as we commit ourselves to working tirelessly to end systemic and structural racism in our society, in the church, in healthcare, in the workplace--wherever it shows up so that everyone may come to have more abundant life. May this meditation nourish our contemplative-active hearts and sustain all of us in action.

In the spirit of our philosophy of co-creating community and our awareness that the Spirit speaks through each of us, we invite you to share your meditations with us as well. We truly believe that it is God's economy of abundance: when we share our blessings, our thoughts, our feelings, we are all made richer.

We hope and pray that you find peace, healing, hope and the infusion of joy in your life!

With our love and care,

Ron and Jean

From Richard Rohr.

How often do we really see another person as the beautiful gift they are? Perhaps this happens sometimes with those we love, where we are caught in a moment of grace and see them in all their wondrousness and feel full of gratitude for their presence in our lives.

Maybe you have a moment where your eyes meet, and you hold each other’s gaze for a few breaths as an act of seeing each other with love. . . .

We can intentionally bring this gaze of love to others. You can practice this with a beloved one or a very dear and close friend. You might try setting a timer for one minute and just sit together, eyes softly receiving each other while breathing together and praying quietly in your hearts.

Breathe in: I see you with love

Breathe out: gifted, cherished.

Breathe in: Grateful

Breathe out: for who you are.

January 9, 2022

Baptizatus Sum

Mary Luti

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. As he was praying, the Holy Spirit descended on him … and a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” – Luke 3:21-22; 4:1 (NIV)

Immediately after his baptism, Jesus was led into a wilderness. There he struggled with a Tempter who tried to make him doubt the voice that named him Beloved Child. “If you are God’s son…”, Satan prefaced the temptations. But Jesus remembered who he was. There was no “if.” Assured of God’s approval and drenched with the Spirit, he blew the Tempter away.

Whenever the great reformer Martin Luther was in trouble, tormented, tempted, and afraid (he often was), he’d tell himself that he was baptized: “Baptizatus sum”—“I am baptized.” Over and over he’d remind his beleaguered heart who he was: a beloved child of God whose life was forever entwined with Christ’s. He said it blew the demons away.

I used to teach a class about sacraments. Every semester I found that many students didn’t know when they were baptized. Birthdays they knew, and other anniversaries. But not the day a voice from heaven called them beloved and their lives were forever joined to Christ’s. I encouraged them to find out and celebrate that gift.

And I hoped that whenever things got rough (they always do), they’d call on its grace. I hoped they’d remember that they are in Christ, fully known and loved. I hoped they’d remind their frightened hearts, “I am baptized.” I hoped it would make them brave and blow the Devil away.

Prayer

By your grace, O God, I am known and loved. My life is joined to Christ’s forever. I am not afraid.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Luti is a long time seminary educator and pastor, author of Teresa of Avila’s Way and numerous articles, and founding member of The Daughters of Abraham, a national network of interfaith women’s book groups.