Mother's Day and Baptism
May 10, 2006
In addition to our recent post on Mother’s Day I would add a few more seeds for thought. During the season of Easter it is appropriate to remember our baptism each Sunday service. In re-membering our baptism we are re-minded that God has claimed us as children and we have made promises to God to live into the life of Christ. This means promises to serve others (especially the “least of these”), to be faithful to prayer, breaking bread and taking care of the community of faith as any has need (yes, I’m evoking the last part of Acts chapter 2). During the rite of baptism the community also makes vows to love, care and nurture those God is claiming through water and the Spirit. We are also called to nurture each other in the faith.
Remembering our baptism this Mother’s Day may be a way to honor both the season of Easter and mothers. You may begin the service standing by the font, giving thanks for water, God’s promises to us and reminding the community of the promises we make to each other during the time of baptism. One resource for remembering baptism can be found from the ELCA’s Holy Baptism and Related Rites. Perhaps on this day we can accentuate the vows to love and care for one another. This is a way you can talk about how mothers, at their best, who live into these promises of baptism through their care and nurture of children (not just their own but all children of the community). In this way mothers, and Mother’s Day points back to baptism and a life in Christ as opposed to the worship pointing to a cultural holiday.
The picture is of a baptismal font from a mosaic on the floor of Coventry Cathedral in Coventry, England.