Wednesday, February 23, 2022

“But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:14, New Living Translation)

                Do I have a deal for you!

                Susan showed me an ad for a “Holy Water – Touchless Automatic Dispenser.” Apparently, in our hands-off, no-touch, social distancing world we need a way to get our holy water safely and conveniently. No fuss, no muss. “Simply place your fingertips under the dispenser and drops of Holy Water will be dispensed.”  Up to five droplets. All very sanitary and hygienic. It can be mounted on a wall; comes with 4 AA batteries and “lasts months”. By the way, “Holy water is not included.” C’mon people, there are some things you still a need good priest or bishop for. (But I am surprised that no one has thought of adding a coin slot for a little church fund-raising.)

                The custom of sprinkling Holy Water dates back, by some accounts, to the first century A.D. and the apostle Matthew and others point to an early 5^th century document, “Apostolic Constitutions”. But we also know that water has long had significance for purification and atonement rituals in Jewish and other faith traditions, even pre-Christianity. The use of Holy Water in some Christian traditions is a reminder of one’s baptism but can also be received as a blessing and, in some cases, as a sacrament for protection from evil. That’s a lot of pressure for a few drops of water.

                Now some may think that this is superstitious mumbo-jumbo. But I think that if someone finds comfort, assurance, peace, security or blessing in such a simple act, then who are we to quibble? Besides, we Baptists, need more than a few droplets of water to get the job done. We need a whole tank of water or a lake or a swimming pool and then a plunge into the waters, needing a full bath to get ourselves blessed enough. It’s a wonder we don’t throw in a good scrub brush and some lye soap.  Maybe Peter had a point, when after Jesus had begun to wash the disciples’ feet, first objecting, then when Jesus corrected him, he exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” (John 13:9, NLT)

                Jesus is not a Touchless Automatic Dispenser of Holy Water. He is hands on, always one to touch and hold, to hug and embrace and express his Lordship in tangible, physical ways. He did not stand away from lepers, tax-collectors, prostitutes and the like, but broke bread with them, healed many with his touch and thereby closed the distance between God and sinner.

                When the beleaguered Samaritan woman was astounded that Jesus, a Jewish male, was asking her for a drink of water, he said to her, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” (John 4:10) The love of Jesus washes over all in this story, even the most distant outlier, the lost and the forgotten, the unwashed of the world and the so-called unclean and the down and dirty. And oh, yes – you and me!

                There it is – true Holy Water for each and every one of us.

                He stoops to wash us clean with his grace, mercy, forgiveness, and the love of God flows through him and over us. “O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free! Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me.”

                This is Holy Water at its best!

                “Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22, NLT)

Dale