SERMON FOR THE BAPTISM OF LUCAS GUNGA
05 May 2024
John 15:9-17
11:00 Choral Eucharist with Baptism
In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
I am sure you’re all keen to get to the baptism, but if you could give me a few moments, I have five small thoughts for Lucas – and the rest of us – today.
First, LOVE. What a perfect gospel reading we have today for the baptism of little Lucas?! Jesus said…‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.’ The word in the Greek is agape, which means selfless, unconditional love, the love of God for us. It is a love that knows no greater expression than selflessness. It is a love where God breaks down the barriers we put up. It is a love that illuminates our world.
Agape love does not mean liking; it does not require us to be genial with each other all of the time. In fact it might require us to correct and admonish each other – even Lucas when he’s old enough to get into trouble! But this is a strict instruction from Jesus to his disciples, whom he calls friends; so too today it is an instruction to us, to follow his commandments and to love each other.
Secondly, the text used by Sachin for the anthem he has composed for today was written by St Columba. The name Columba means ‘dove’ in Latin. The dove is a UNIVERSAL image of peace, love, and freedom. Doves are used as symbols in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as well as secular peace movements. The dove was a symbol of the end of the Flood, and at the moment of the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit came down as a dove.
A baptism reminds us of our own baptism. We might benefit from asking ourselves if we are doing our best job of embracing and living out the universal love of God in our lives.
Thirdly, COLUMBA, St Dove, also teaches us about COMMUNITY; he established the monastery on the island of Iona in Scotland, from which he and his followers set out on a very successful mission to convert the Scots and English to Christianity. Community also talks about how we are welcoming Lucas into the Christian faith and a community based here at the cathedral.
If you turn to page 15 of your order of service, you will see the words of St Columba, which brings me to my fourth point…
This list of supplications we don’t just have to leave to God, or Lucas’ parents, family and godparents; we can be ALL of those things to him: a bright flame before him, a guiding star above him, a smooth path beneath him, a kindly shepherd behind him.
What’s it got to do with us? Well, shortly we will hear these words: “Faith is the gift of God to his people. In baptism the Lord is adding to our number those whom he is calling. People of God, will you welcome this child and uphold him in his new life in Christ?”
Then, we will respond, “With the help of God, we will.” We can all be all of those things for Lucas and each other. That’s what a community does.
And finally…I want to return to doves. Like pigeons, they have a STRONG SENSE of home. Using the earth’s magnetic field and the position of the sun, they successfully find their way home. My wish for Lucas is that he will have a strong sense of home, in his home with Hannah and Sachin, here at the Cathedral, and most importantly, in God. Wherever life takes him, and whether the paths are smooth or rocky, that in times of sorrow and celebration he finds his way home.
This is where I am making use of volunteers from the choir to help me summarise what this sermon has explored:
L for Love
U for the dove as a Universal sign of love and peace
C for Columba and community
A for All of the things we can be to Lucas, e.g., a guiding star (nephew and niece helping out?), and
S a strong sense of home.
And that spells Lucas.
Amen.
Kitty Price, Cathedral Reader
A prayer of St Columba
O my dearest Lord, be thou a bright flame before me.
Be thou a guiding star above me.
Be thou a smooth path beneath me.
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me,
today and for evermore. Amen.