March 2 2014 Transfigured through Baptism

+As has become my custom, whenever we have a baptism at one of our three services, the sermon for that day is in the form of a letter to the baptized. Today is one such day as we baptized Donovan John Drexinger at the 8 am service.
Dear Donovan,
Your folks picked a GREAT day to have you baptized. Today, as we get ready for the simplicity and starkness of Lent we pull out all the stops—[great music], lots of alleluias and our fanciest, shiniest vestments. Today is an explosion of excess before we settle into Lent. We were planning a party anyway, but now, with your baptism, we get to REALLY celebrate!
Now, one day, when you're a little older, you may look back and say "I was baptized on the feast of the Transfiguration?  Sounds painful, what in the world is a transfiguration?"
Well Donovan, you're not alone. Most people don't quite get it.
Actually, what happened to Jesus, while a little strange, was also pretty cool. It was toward the end of his ministry, he's told his friends that the end was near, that soon he'd stand face to face with the temple and Roman authorities in Jerusalem. His friends didn't want him to go and more than a few of them were TERRIFIED to follow Jesus. But because they were his very good friends, they agreed to go with him. On the way to Jerusalem they stopped for a rest and, as was his custom, Jesus readied himself to go up the mountain to pray. But instead of going alone, as he usually did, Jesus asked three of his best friends, Peter, James and John to go with him. So they walked to the top of Mount Tabor and got ready to pray. Suddenly a cloud or a flash or a sheet of light---something really bright and pretty darn impressive---completely covered Jesus. He looked totally different. And then, as if that wasn't enough weirdness, suddenly two really old (and by the way, very dead) prophets, that is teachers who had lived many years before Jesus, Moses and Elijah, appear next to him. Having the two of them there makes sense; Moses had his own face transfigured when he received the Ten Commandments from God on top of another mountain (Sinai) and Elijah? Well Elijah was always getting up close and personal with God and each and every time Elijah had an experience with God, an experience of God, he was changed. Transformed. And transfigured.
Just like all of us here today.
You see that's the point of church, it's the point of learning from Jesus, it's the point of accepting---of embracing--- God's love in our lives. When we do this, when we engage in a community of faith, when we listen to Jesus, when we love our God, we are CHANGED.
Each and every time.
Usually it's not as dramatic as what happened to Jesus and Moses and Elijah, but it's still change, and it still happens. ALL THE TIME.
That change is going to be invited into your life today. That change is going to be acknowledged and re-invited into the lives of everyone here today, as well.
Because baptism--- and the renewal of our baptismal vows---transfigures, transforms and changes us.
Now never say never, but I'm pretty sure, as the baptismal waters pour over you, we won't hear God's voice, nor will you be shrouded in a dazzling white array of light. However--- and this is soooo important, Donovan, God will speak and light will fill you....from the top of your red head to the bottom of your little feet.....because God's Love is all over this church this morning. It's in the smiles of your mom and dad, your godparents, your grandparents, the rest of your family, friends and everyone here….and those smiles, that love, this happiness, is God.
Today we celebrate that you are a member of God's family and you are God's Beloved. Now and always. The baptism we're about to do is the outward and public demonstration of the inward and personal grace that God bestowed on you as soon as you were you.
It's what God does with all of God's creation. God LOVES all that God has created including you and me and everyone. God loves us always and forever.
No exceptions.
In a few minutes, right before we pour that holy water over you, before we mark and seal you as Christ's own forever, everyone here will make a bunch of promises. We'll promise to love God with all our heart and mind and soul. We'll promise to trust God in all things (although I'll let you in on a little secret, we forget  that ALL THE TIME) , we'll promise to apologize when we make mistakes, we'll promise to love our neighbors and we'll promise to respect the dignity of every single human being always and forever.
No exceptions!
When we do this, when we make those promises and when we welcome a new member of our church family--that's you--we are changed. It's one of the greatest things about our faith: every time we exercise our faith, that is every time we stand up against injustice, every time we reach out a hand to the neglected, the abused and the forgotten, every time we make sure this earth is given the care and nurturing God has asked us to give it, every single time we love someone even when we don't like them all that much, every time we welcome someone new through our doors,  we are transfigured, transformed and transported closer to the image God has for us and closer to the world Jesus dreamed of: a world of peace, a world of love and a world of equality.
Today, because of your baptism, we are reminded that no matter how far we fall, no matter how lost we become, no matter how twisted up in worry and fear and doubt we become, we can always return to this altar, to this community and to this faith; where, through the transfiguring Love of God we will be smoothed out, reshaped, and formed more and more into the image of Christ. (Lectionary Lab for March 2 2014)
So thank you, thank you for offering us the perfect way to commemorate the Transfiguration of Jesus, by welcoming you into our family and by renewing our own commitment to enter the love of God, where anything, absolutely anything is possible.
Amen.