"Remember your Baptism"

Kristin's post is part of our Lenten Water Project. Throughout this Lenten season our writers will be focusing on the subject of water and what that means to them. Please donate to our well-building efforts, and if you have something YOU would like to say about water, let us know and we'll post it here!

I've been thinking about baptism a lot lately. Perhaps it’s a little premature, here in the midst of Lent and all, but I’ve been thinking about the free-flowing, cleansing waters of baptism.

I think it all started a few months ago when I witnessed the baptism of little David. David’s was the first baptism I saw at the church where I’m interning. Granted, I had seen many baptisms prior to that day, but for some reason, David’s just inherently felt different. Watching it all play out in front of me, I was suddenly aware of just how momentous the act is.

David’s family and Bill, the head pastor, were gathered at the front of the sanctuary. David’s parents beamed as they passed their infant son to Bill. Bill cradled David in the nook of his arm and slowly chanted the ancient baptismal words: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” With each named member of the Trinity, Bill covered David’s head with a small handful of cool water.

David’s reaction was priceless. A huge smile broke across his face, letting out a hiccupped laugh. He swung his head around to look out at the whole congregation, and more laughter escaped. It was as if he was simultaneously inviting us to share in the experience with him and commenting (with all of those baby giggles) on just how magical the moment was.

That sense of joy was contagious. As Bill invited the whole congregation forward to receive blessings of their own, there were smiles all around. “Remember your baptism,” Bill charged us as he traced the symbol of the cross in cool water on each of our foreheads.

I’m still pondering what it means to “remember my baptism,” seeing as how I can’t actually remember the physical event from my first year of life. But after witnessing David’s baptism, I’m sure of this: baptism is the joyous and mysterious experience by which we enter into the body of Christ. It might be a little too early to celebrate, but I’m looking forward to remembering – and even celebrating – my baptism as Easter approaches. I’m ready to think about those cleansing baptismal waters after this dry and thirsty time of Lent.

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Kristin Raley is a first-year Master of Divinity Student at Harvard Divinity School. Her interests include the intersection between faith and language and evangelical Christianity. She is also pursuing ordination in the PC(USA), and is currently interning at Fourth Presbyterian Church in South Boston, MA. When she’s not writing papers or working at church, you can probably find her perusing a local coffee shop for some hazelnut coffee … or saying something in her “funny” Chicago accent.