By Father Stephen Morris
Sunday, January 11, was the post-Christmas Feast of the Lord’s Baptism in the River Jordan. The day before, the young men pictured in Altar Forged of Snowspent hours in the cold creating a snow-altar so we could celebrate outdoors (Russian style) the first part of Mass – the Liturgy of the Word and the Great Blessing of Water.
The day of the Feast itself was awesome as they say. We assembled on the snow covered lawn outside the chapel. While it snowed heavily, the Cross led the procession, as Christ goes before us! Malik tried valiantly to keep the one candle lit, but the wind was against us. Frozen hands carried incense and icons as the saints remain part of the community of believers. There were buckets and jars of water to be blessed to remind us of our own baptism and the Jordan’s water into which Jesus descended – the lamb being washed before the sacrifice. Already our eyes are set on the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ!
At the start we sang antiphonally the Canticle of the Three Hebrew Boys in the Fiery Furnace from the Book of Daniel:
“Ice and snow bless the Lord,
Frost and chill, bless the Lord,
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord,”
Seas and rivers bless the Lord,
The feast celebrates God’s reclaiming all of creation beginning with water as Jesus descends into the Jordan. It wasn’t lost on us that we’re each 70% water! We blessed the four directions – imaging that if the priest’s left baseball arm were stronger, the water would encircle the planet – sanctifying and renewing a world weary from war and frightfully wrong choices. Then each of us was blessed with water – sanctifying us as we’re sent out in renewal to the little piece of the world God has presently appointed us to care for.
Water was flying and freezing mid-air, so just as we were starting to become uncomfortable we returned to the chapel for a thaw and the rest of Mass – mindful that we’ve all done wild and crazy things before – how different this day, some would say, crazily singing and praying in snow and ice to God’s glory and our own reclamation and renewal.
