A Baptismal Hymn
Baptism is on my mind. Tomorrow is the Sunday of the Baptism of our Lord, and so last week I wrote a column on that for Working Preacher. This morning’s devotional reading happened to be Luke’s brief description of Jesus’ baptism as well. And near the beginning of the week I wrote a short post sharing a few of my convictions and questions about baptism and invited others to do the same, and readers have responded with a fantastic discussion. I’m learning a ton! (I love this internet thing! ☺)
So, naturally, I thought I’d look for poem about Baptism for this week’s poetry post. And, truth be told, the pickings seemed thin. It might be that I didn’t know where to look, but I wasn’t even determined to find a poem about Baptism per se; I’d have been satisfied with a poem about a bath, or water, or being cleaned or anything metaphorically related to Baptism that might be suggestive and evocative and in this way helpful to us in our discussion.
Most of what I found, however, seemed like they’d fit better on the inside of a Hallmark card for Baptism than in the leaves of a book of poetry. There were a few, by poets like George Herbert, that were more apropos, but not many. So if you know some good poems on Baptism, point me in that direction in the comments. In the meantime, I’ll share with you the words of one of Isaac Watts’ hymns on Baptism that I found both intriguing and helpful.
Watts starts not with Jesus’ baptism, or the command to go and baptize, or the exodus through the Red Sea, or the baptism of the Ethiopian, or any of the manifold other stories poets, theologians, and teachers often gravitate to in their meditations on Baptism. Rather, he starts with Abraham receiving God’s promise of blessing in faith and, in response, bringing his sons to be circumcised. Shifting to baptism as the circumcision of the New Covenant, he then jumps to Lydia and the jailer, both in Acts, who when they come to faith bring their whole family with them. Finally, Watts shifts to our baptism, inviting us to see our bringing of our children as similar acts of obedience and gratitude.
Frankly, I hadn’t thought as much about that — that part of the reason we bring our children to God is out of trust of God’s promises, not waiting until they are old enough to make the decision for themselves because, like with so much that is important to us regarding our children, we dare not wait but come eagerly, obediently, humbly, and thankfully, as Watts pens, to “claim the grace.”
Beautiful.
Hymn 121
Thus saith the mercy of the Lord,
“I’ll be a God to thee;
I’ll bless thy num’rous race, and they
Shall be a seed for me.”
Abram believed the promised grace,
And gave his sons to God;
But water seals the blessing now,
That once was sealed with blood.
Thus Lydia sanctified her house,
When she received the word;
Thus the believing jailer gave
His household to the Lord.
Thus later saints, eternal King!
Thine ancient truth embrace;
To thee their infant offspring bring,
And humbly claim the grace.
Isaac Watts, based on Genesis 17:7, 10; Acts 16:14-15, 33.
I like e.e. cummings poem 10. Baptism is many things for God’s people, each highlighting for themselves what they really take away from it. But, in the end, it is ourselves – God’s children – our identity – that we get from the bath, which we can all agree on.
10
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)
and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and
milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea
I’m partial to the Thomas Troeger hymn which begins with evocative description of Christ’s baptism at the Jordan and ends with invitation, shifting from 3rd person, to 2nd, to 1st:
What ruler wades through murky streams and bows beneath the wave,
ignoring how the world esteems the powerful and brave?
Christ gleams with water born with clay from land the prophets trod.
Above while heaven’s clouds give way descends the dove of God.
Come bow beneath the flowing wave. Christ stands here at your side
and raises you as from the grave God raised the crucified.
refrain: Water, River, Spirit, Grace, sweep over me, sweep over me!
Recarve the depths your finger trace in sculpting me.
~ Thomas H. Troeger, 1993
The band Lost and Found has an old song that fits:
THE NEW NEW SONG
© 1987 LIMB RECORDS/LOST AND FOUND, BOX 305 LEWISTON, NY, 14092. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
YOUR HEART IS LIKE A STONE.
HARD TO TOUCH AND ROUGH TO OWN.
YOUR HEART IS LIKE A STONE.
EVERYBODY’S KNOCKING, BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO BE HOME.
BUT JOY IS NOT IN HOW THINGS GO.
JOY IS IN THE WORD AND TRUTH WE KNOW.
WHY IS IT SO HARD TO SEE SOMEBODY WAITING FOR YOU AND ME? I
N WATER AND WORD WE’RE FAMILY.
SO DON’T BE DECEIVED BY WHAT YOU’VE SEEN ON TV.
AND DON’T GIVE UP NO MATTER HOW IT SEEMS,
GOD IS A GOD OF TRUTH AND NOT DREAMS.
DID YOU FORGET THE DAY HE CLAIMED YOU?
NOT JUST AND EXCUSE FOR GODPARENTS TO NAME YOU.
WHEN THEY POURED WATER ON YOUR BABY HEAD,
GOD REACHED DOWN AND YOU WERE DEAD…
AND RAISED AGAIN.
NOW IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE YOU WEREN’T EVEN THERE,
BUT GOD CARED. HE CARED FOR YOU.
—
The line about God reaching down and ‘you were dead’ is my favourite.
http://www.speedwood.com
Baptism by Ted Thomas Jr.
Cold wind.
I help my father
into the shower
with his good hand
he grips my arm for support.
Inside he sits like Buddha
on a plastic stool
and waits for me
to begin.
I drench him
with warm water,
soap his head, his back,
the flabby stomach,
the private parts
private no more.
I had not before seen my father’s
nakedness, nor the changing
contour of his being,
his growing helplessness.
His brown skin glistens
and I think of him
as a young man on the night
of my conception:
Panting, capable, shining
with sweat and definition,
the soft hands of my mother
grasping his shoulders.
I pat him dry,
he lets me dress him
in the white
hospital clothes,
oil his hair,
put him to bed
and forgive him.
“Baptism” by Ted Thomas Jr., from Singing With The Dead. © Moon Pie Press, 2007
I have enjoyed over the years “Baptism” in the Sourcebook series published by Liturgy Training Publications (LTP), Chicago, IL; edited by J. Robert Baker, Larry J. Nyberg, Victoria M. Tufano. This Sourcebook is devoted entirely to texts related to Baptism and is organized by the many aspects of Baptism, such as Election, Faith & Creed, Water, Naming, Godparents, Anointing, Dressing, Light, Festivity, Mission.
In the Introduction we read: “It is fitting that baptism is the first of the sacraments, for its signs and gestures embody every aspect of Christian faith and perhaps even of human experience. in this ritual, God’s call is unceasingly reiterated in the lives of those who choose to respond. In it, those individuals, thirsty for freedom and weary of affliction, pass through the waters in an exodus that bring them to new life. These waters flow with rich silt of grace, for in them are flood and regeneration, promise and demand, death and rebirth. In them, bodies are washed, and dressed; souls illuminated, wounds, anointed, creeds recited, initiates sustained. In them, the old Adam becomes new.
My theology professor at Southern Seminary was David S. Yeago. He wrote hymn texts for special times in the church year. Here are his words “For the Remembrance of Holy Baptism” (meter 87 87 887)
A blessed water, clean and clear,
The God of love has given,
To wash from us the dust of death,
And grant us life from heaven.
We are no longer of the night;
Our God has brought us into light
To serve him in his kingdom.
O Father, you have turned to us
With your baptismal blessing.
We’ll praise your kindness all our days,
Your holy name confessing.
For Satan’s lies we’ve only scorn;
We are your children, nobly born,
Your holy sons and daughters.
O Christ our Lord, in bitter pain
You won for us salvation.
We died with you and now we live
In you, a new creation.
Your loved has called us from the dead;
We cling to you, our risen head;
We are your living body.
O Holy Spirit, still you come,
Our fading strength renewing.
Now make us bold to follow Christ,
And turn from all wrongdoing.
O Spirit, set our hearts on fire,
And burn up every wrong desire
That tempts us to dishonor.
O blessed Trinity of love.
Forever we’ll adore you;
For grace to purify our minds,
We constantly implore you.
The work you washing has begun
Till that great day will not be done
When we behold your glory.
Hi David,
the tune for the Baptismal hymn is Campmeeting. You can see a copy of it at http://www.smallchurchmusic1.com/Score_PDF-2010/WalkInTheLight-Campmeeting.pdf
Hope this helps.
Bountiful Blessings,
John
Fabulous – thanks!
Thanks for encouraging this discussion about Baptism. NPR is running a morning series on the so-called “Nones”. One of the young people interviewed mentioned a tattoo on his arm with the Latin: a curce salus (Salvation comes from the Cross). Although the young man has doubts about his faith, he said he did not regret the tattoo. He said he originally thought that having the tattoo would serve him when he had troubles with his faith. He would look at it and realize he could not run away from it. Sounds a lot like the Cross that is marked on our foreheads — not so visible as a tattoo (except Ash Wednesday) — but there. goes to what you said about Baptism and identity, also goes to the connection between Baptism and our destiny. Again, thanks for the conversation.