Baptized into a Death Like His

In 2006, post-Youth Gathering in San Antonio, Texas, we had some free time on our hands. This was because there are limited flight options when traveling to or from Fairbanks, Alaska. So in the cool of an air conditioned theatre, we took in the newly opened Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, the much anticipated sequel to the surprise break out hit of PotC.

There's a lot I've forgotten about that movie (something something Davy Jones' Locker, something something over the top fight scene, something something Keira Knightley's plump lips) but I've never forgotten this opening scene. (If possible, watch at least the first minute of the clip before reading further.)

While the whole audience burst into cheers when Captain Jack burst forth from his 'escape pod', I was bursting into giddy cheers for a whole other reason. It was a quintessential scene of resurrection. Life from death - and in the waters (of baptism) no less! I was experiencing theological palpitations!

To summarize the scene: here is a coffin, one of many, floating out on a sea. A raven pecks at it; the sound like the knocking on a door, booming with the hollowness of a tomb. Then that knock is answered. (Granted, in a way a bit unfortunate for the raven, who is now nevermore.) And from the gunshot hole, an arm, then the entire splintering of the lid. The music during all of this is perfect - eery and forlorn, then as Jack breaks free, swelling with triumph. He has returned - and mischief with him.

Then we learn in a practical, if ghoulish way that Jack wasn't alone in that coffin. He was sharing the space with someone long dead, reduced to bone. Again, this twining of life and death.

Romans 6:1b-11 is also that twining of life and death; in our Christ crucified there is not one without the other.

And it's not just resurrection following death-death, but also resurrection following death in baptism. As the opening words in our Order of Holy Baptism say:

"In baptism our gracious heavenly Father frees us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are born children of a fallen humanity; by water and the Holy Spirit we are reborn children of God and made members of the church, the body of Christ. Living with Christ and in the communion of saints, we grow in faith, love, and obedience to the will of God." (p. 227, Evangelical Lutheran Worship)

In in this new life, we don't always know where we're going, but trust that Christ does. (Not dissimilar from Captain Jack's non-north pointing compass.)

We are claimed, changed, and a completely new course is charted. What are some of the unexpected places you've been since being baptized into Christ death?

If Pentecost were a Musical

As someone who loves to sing (and pretend to dance), I've often thought life would be a lot more interesting if it were a musical where we broke out in song and dance to express ourselves. However, this rarely occurs (unless you stumble across a 'flashmob' that's just happens to be the cast of the Godspell revival).

But the lack of musical moments in real life hasn't stopped me from making mental connections between lectionary texts and musical tunes or other bits of popular culture.

Pentecost is this Sunday (time to put on your red everyone). The biggie text is Acts 2:1-21. Suddenly with the Spirit upon them, everyone starts speaking in the variety of languages used by the Jews from far away places who were visiting Jerusalem. Imagine the crazy cacophony.

Imagine the releasing, the freeing that the Spirit is doing among the disciples. This is the turning point from them being huddled up, turned in upon themselves, and uncertain what to do, to being freed to share God's story with the world. Visions, dreams, prophesy - freed from fear and "ought tos" to imagine a whole new future where a Messiah is crucified for the sake of the world. 

Unsurprisingly some of them suggested, "They are filled with new wine." (Translation: They are drunk.)

Peter reassures folks that they aren't drunk (at least not drunk on wine maybe on the Holy Spirit). However the musical number that came to mind when I think of the joyful freedom does have someone who is a bit drunk. (She misunderstood the ratio of Bacardi to Milk in a Dolce de Leche.) When asked how she feels, she shares a whole variety of joy filled imagines, starting with "If I were a bell, I'd be ringing."

So how do you express the Spirit freed joy within you? How do you ring and swing?