The Baptismal Covenant and Lent

As is our normal practice in Lent, we will be offering our Confession at the beginning of our Sunday worship services which is based on our Baptismal Covenant (BCP, p. 304-305).  This Covenant is particular to The Episcopal Church, unique even among our sister churches in the Anglican Communion.  It is how our tradition understands how to live out our faith once we become members of the Body of Christ through baptism. 
We promise to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread and in the prayers – three intrinsic actions lived out in our worship services.  We also vow to:
  • -      preserve in resisting evil, and whenever we fall into sin, repentant and return to the Lord.
  • -      proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ.
  • -      seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves.
  • -      strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.

It is no small feat to engage in these vows, let along accomplish them.  We can see and acknowledge that it is far too easy to fall short of these lofty goals, hence they become a helpful framework for offering confession of our sins.  Have we resisted evil?  Did we respect another’s dignity? Did we love our neighbor? 
This confession is about seeking where we can change our ways and then doing something about it, not just feeling sorry.  Lent offers us a specific time each year in the Church to focus on such amendment of life, inviting us into a deeper, more powerful relationship with God and each other.  If we want to become better Christians, what better way to do that if not through using the Baptismal Covenant as the bar. 
The precaution in doing this is to not be overwhelmed by what we have NOT done or where we have fallen short.  Confession is about truth telling, being honest about what has happened, repenting for actions contrary to God’s willing, and amending our ways to follow God’s will.  Too often, I fear, we get so wrapped up in feeling bad about what we haven’t done that we forget to think about what we can change in order to do what we should be doing!
As we continue on our Lenten journey I encourage you to take some time to reflect on our Baptismal Covenant, perhaps choose one specific vow and consider how you can offer yourself fully to following that vow.  What would it look like?  Would you have to behave differently?  Do you need help? Good! The community of St. Barnabas is here to support you in your life in Christ, something else we vow at baptism!
The waters of baptism give us forgiveness of our sins always and forever.  I pray that with this confession of sins, we will feel that redemption wash over us and through us, allowing us to be reborn by the Spirit to continue to do the work God has given us to do.
Happy Lent,

Rev. Valerie+

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