Powerful Water + Ritual That Reminds

We had a baptism at UniLu this week, which meant a bowl of water, a baby, and a room full of kids who were very happy to come play in the water with me. Did I even need to give them permission? I honestly hope no. The correct instinct is always to play with the water. Water is just like that. You can hold it for a second and then it finds the space between your fingers and goes wherever it wants, perfect opportunity to bring more folk into the fun.

Here's the thing about baptism that nobody seems to talk about much in Sunday School (see: our whole deal): there’s all this talk about washing away sins… but, like, let’s just step back for a moment and consider this. What if baptism and those powerful waters are more so about remembering that you are wholly loved as yourself, entirely as you are right now. AND, about remembering that if you’ve participated in this communal ritual, then you are part of this whole global family of people who can remind you that you’re not alone. And You are loved. Exactly as you are. And every time you encounter water, you get to play and be reminded once again that you are loved and part of an enormous family that stretches way beyond the bounds of an immediate nuclear family. The baby who got dunked on this day definitely won't remember his baptism. But, that's not a flaw in the system. That's the system. Nobody has to carry "I am loved by God" around by themselves, perfectly, forever. We join this family and then we help, by remembering and reminding one another. That's what a family is, chosen or otherwise: the people who hold the memory of your worth when you've temporarily misplaced it yourself.

Our scripture this week was Paul telling a fighting church to stop keeping score on who's clean and who isn't, right next to Jesus telling a parable about a guy who got forgiven a mountain of debt and immediately went and choked someone out over pocket change, then people tattled on him and the guy who had forgiven him in the first place sent him to prison to be tortured (yikes). Both texts are about people so busy tallying and enjoying their things and accumulating things that they overlook needs, overlook their own ability to get those needs met for one another, and instead just lean into their own little spheres of power and control. Water doesn't do that. Water …moves. One way or another, it will move beyond its boundaries.

So here's your low stakes spiritual practice for the week: next time you're washing your hands, or it's raining, or someone cannonballs into the pool next to you, let it remind you of the fact that you are loved exactly as you are. You are part of a globe-wide family. You've got people, actual people, who will remind you of that fact on the days you’re having trouble remembering. And, you can remind people on days they’re having trouble recalling.