The Power of Surrender

It happens more often than not.  Whenever we try to recruit people to join the choir, they chuckle, uttering a common phrase, “I can’t sing!”  This is usually followed with something like, “Ever since I was in the third grade and my chorus teacher told me to just mouth the words, I knew I couldn’t sing.” 

I think to myself, the third grade?  And, now you’re forty-something?  And, you’re still listening to the voice of your chorus teacher?   

It’s amazing how often we allow others to shape our perceptions of who we are, what we can do, and who we are to become.   Like a sponge, we tend to absorb others’ opinions, thoughts, and ideas about ourselves.   I wonder what would happen if instead we absorbed God’s opinions, thoughts and ideas about ourselves.   This is what baptism is all about.   In baptism, we absorb God’s unconditional love through the life-giving waters of God’s grace, calling us to be nothing less than God’s very own children.  

Reflecting on baptism makes me think about water.  If you’ve ever swum in the ocean, ridden the waves, or surfed a crest to the shore, you understand the power of water.  You cannot fight water and win.  If you want to survive water’s power, you must surrender. 

Lent is all about surrender.  Lent prompts us to surrender all that keeps us from living out our baptismal covenant.  We, the baptized, journey along with the Elect, the unbaptized, as they await the new life given in baptism.  This weekend, the Elect will celebrate their first scrutiny, powerful prayers which call upon God to heal all that is weak and to strengthen all that is good.   We, too, are encouraged to scrutinize our own lives, to reflect on the meaning of our baptism, and to surrender to God’s powerful love which calls us.  Let us pray, along with the Elect, to absorb the reality of God’s love over the false perceptions of others.  By the way, you can sing!  So, join the choir, and then send a CD to that third grade chorus teacher!  Amen!