January 2021 Spiritual Practice of the Month, Baptism of the Lord Sunday

Spiritual Practice of the Month: Listening

In this week's passage, two things are happening that require listening: John is proclaiming repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins and God is proclaiming God's love for God's beloved as the heavens open and the spirit rests on God's own Son.

First, listening to call to confession is as critical now as it was then. From what attitudes and ego-centric behaviors do we need to repent (turn) in order to turn back to the law of love to which we have been called? Baptism is an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible transformation that occurs as we are adopted into the family of God. We believe in one Lord, one faith, one baptism, BUT we we are also humans always in need of confessing and being restored to relationship. Regular examen in light of daily scripture study and prayer helps us consistently evaluate the places where we are complicit in the brokenness in our world.

Secondly, listening to God's declaration of love for God's beloved reminds us that not only are *we* God's beloved, but so are *all* God's people. When we fail to recognize God's beloved for who and what they are because they are different from us divides us into hierarchical camps which usually declares "us" the beloved and "them" less than. All of us are God's beloved. Likewise, all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We must know a tree by its fruit, for sure, and be wise, but we must also treat others as God's beloved if we are to live into the reconciliation of the world to God and to one another that Jesus came to fulfill.

This week, listen. Listen to the news. Where are your attitudes complicit in creating the brokenness in our world and where do you need to confess and repent? Listen to your siblings in Christ. Who have you failed to see in light of God's grace? How can you reconcile your new understandings of this person with the love of God in Christ?