The Word Of Peace
Homiletic Reflections On Peacemaking

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti

Baptism of the Lord - A

After the costly Union victory at the battle of Antetiem Robert Gould Shaw of Boston was appointed by the Gov. of Massachusetts to head up the Mass. 54 th regiment. He was raised to the rank of Colonel. He was a well-read young man in his 20's, filled with ideals about justice, freedom and humanity. Apart from his age, what was so unusual about his being appointed head of the 54th was that he would be leading one of the first all African-American regiments.

Sometime after taking command of this regiment the confederate government responded by a decree saying that nay black soldier that was captured by confederate forces would be sent into slavery. Any white officer captured would face summary trial and execution. With this proclamation Col. SHAW AND HIS ADJ., MAJOR FORBES, WERE FORECED TO ASK THEMSELVES: " Should we save ourselves, or take the plunge with our African-American brothers and stand with them in solidarity with their sufferings, hopes and humanity." The next morning all the African -American soldiers showed up for roll call, as did Col. Shaw and Major Forbes.  " One more powerful that I is to come after me." These are the words of JBap. They are an indication that he saw his ministry as one that prepared the way, or laid the foundation for another greater than he. He saw his life as a service that helped to raise the awareness of the people of his day that God was doing something new--God is about to act decisively for humanity. For those who received the baptism of John they were to accept and to be committed to this new act of God. Jesus then appears before John and is baptized by him in the Jordan River. At that moment Jesus hears " You are my beloved Son."

In Jesus' baptism Mark tells us that he experienced a level of knowledge and intimacy with the Father that would animate his entire ministry. Jesus sensed who he was more clearly in his "yes" to the mission of the Father by accepting this baptism. For this is no ordinary baptism ! This is a baptism of God's solidarity with the human condition, in Jesus!

In the Scriptures water is an important symbol. It symbolizes chaos and destruction, as well as new life ! The Jordan River also carried with it these meanings, but also represented to all Jewish people the transition from slavery and wandering in the wilderness, to entering the new life of the promised land. It held out the memory and the promise that God is a God that works for human freedom , liberation and salvation ! This is a God who calls all to freedom and will journey with us to the promised land, calling and leading through the waters of chaos to new life.

When Jesus takes the plunge into the waters he is , in effect, showing us that God the Father is doing something new. This is a new act of liberation happening--happening in his ministry!  Jesus enters into solidarity with the whole human situation of joy and sorrow, slavery and freedom, suffering and death--in order to show us God's saving, liberating power ! That is why we hear," You are my beloved Son",  because Jesus says "yes" to the Father's invitation to the embodiment of this new act of liberation!

This is promised in Is. God's willing servant will be God's agent for human liberation not outside history, but rather, smack-dab right in the middle of it ! Anyone who lives like the servant Jesus becomes this offer of the Father's liberation to others. As the Church we are called to take the plunge with the Lord. To enter into the chaos of this world with God's liberating and saving power. Just as Jesus became the "Man for others", serving unto death, so the Church is called to do so as well. This happens when we enter the cancer wards of our hospitals, listening to a teen is trouble, assisting neighbors whose husband or wife has lost a job, standing with the poor of this world by calling to account the powerful in the Spirit of Jesus.

In some sense Robert Gould Shaw did something similar. He could have cut and run--or found other duties. Yet his idealism, his faith, his courage and his commitment to the humanity of his soldiers compelled him to take the plunge ! It was a time of chaos and destruction, when a nation was dying and another one being born . Men like Shaw were not content to wage war and kill their own countrymen simply to preserve Northern economic privilege, or maintain the political Union --men like Shaw wanted to save the soul of this nation. To in the words of Abraham Lincoln," appeal to the better angels of our nature ." The tragedy of the Civil War is not something to be admired in itself. But sometimes in these disasters, moments of chaos, people come forward and remind us that God's saving and transforming power is still at work.   Col. Shaw was killed at the charge on Fort Wagner. The confederate troops buried him with the black soldiers he had lead. His father expressed his joy that his son was buried with his men because he understood what his Son's commitment to these men meant to him. Robert Gould Sahw plunged into the waters of the Black experience to share their fate in the promise of freedom and liberation. He did it for them and with them, and he did it to call his white brethren to do the same, Jesus' baptism is the sure sign that God takes the plunge with us. God stands in solidarity, companionship with our situation--and God promises to lead us out! God wants to give us new life, to transform us in the image of the beloved Son--we merely have to take the plunge!

Deacon Robert M. Pallotti, D. Min.
Uploaded January 14, 2000