"O Lord, in your goodness you bestow abundant graces on your elect: Look with favor, we entreat you, upon those who in these Lenten days are being prepared for Holy Baptism, and grant them the help of your protection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."
Psalm 85:1-7, Ezekiel 37:21-28, and John 11:45-53
Ah, another collect about baptism here in the final days of Lent. This one is a little less specific than the one we had on Tuesday. It addresses, though, what it is in the nature of God that makes baptism possible, and that is God's "abundant grace."
When I think about the rite of baptism, I can't help but think about the role of the people who are not being baptized, those of us who have already been baptized. We put a great deal of emphasis on the person or persons being baptized, and that's important. However, those of us who are witnessing the baptism also perform an important act on those days alongside the promise to support the newly baptized in their life in Christ.
In those moments before the baptism we renew our own baptismal vows, recognizing that somewhere along the way we've stumbled, too, and we've not exactly held up the end of our covenant with God. God's grace abounds, though, and we're able to renew our promises to God. This can be a humbling moment for us because it puts us into the position of receiving a second or third chance that we feel like we might not deserve. What's wonderful about God's abundant grace, though, is that we don't deserve it, yet if we're willing to open ourselves up to it even after we've gone astray, it is there to be poured upon us.
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