Words heard for the first time...

Cousin Maggie's baptism in 2008

This Sunday at church we had a baptism. The welcoming of a wee baby girl into God's family forever. It was powerful, it was amazing, it was a baptism.

Now, I've been to a number of baptisms... many for little babies, some for adults and my own in grade three. And yet yesterday I heard words in the baptism service that I've never heard before. These words were spoken in the prayer after this little baby was baptized and signed with the cross. These words were: "Give her an inquiring and discerning heart" and the prayer continued with: "the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works. Amen."


It always amazes me how I can hear words over and over and over again and then one day really hear them. Almost like I have never encountered the words before. Like my ears, my brain and my heart heard them for the first time.


Give her an inquiring and discerning heart


These are the words that will stay with me, these are the words that I heard yesterday, these are the words that have so much power, hope and emotion.

Maybe I heard them yesterday because I find myself inquiring and discerning so much right now (not that I haven't before!). It's become part of my week, day, hour, minute. Discerning God's call and what my heart is yearning for... both these things together. Listening for the wisdom within myself and from others around me. Changing my mind over and over again. Questioning everything and then having moments where I can see my passions and my call come to life.

And maybe it's also that fact that I realized during the service as those words were spoken and the tears begin to fill my eyelids that someone once prayed those exact words over me... for me... Maybe it's the realization that these words have been part of my life for more years then I've realized. That this has been part of me and who I am and what I'm doing. That years ago it was prayed for me the great hope that I may have an inquiring and discerning heart.

The words prayed over this infant child are the same words that were once prayed over me.
Words that have been spoken for years and yet only just heard.

Holy One, we thank you that by this water and the Holy Spirit you 
have bestowed upon this your servant the forgiveness of sin, and 
have raised her to the new life of grace. Sustain her O Lord, in 
your Holy Spirit. Give her an inquiring and discerning heart, the 
courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, 
and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works. Amen.



Prayer from The Book of Alternative Services of The Anglican Church of Canada page 160.