My Blog

Tag: Dean E. Wolfe

  • Dearly Anointed Ones

    For many centuries, Easter was the principal date for Baptisms.  The season of Lent was the time of preparation for baptismal candidates and a time for the faithful who are already baptized to remember their own formation as followers of the Risen Christ.

    Following the the Sacrament of Holy Baptism with water and in the name of the Holy Trinity, the Bishop Anointing at Baptism or Priest places a hand on the person's head and makes the sign of the cross with Chrism, a fragrant oil that has been blessed by the Bishop as Apostle and chief missionary of a diocese.  During this action, the following words are said: "N., you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever." And the people respond, "Amen."

    We usually have plenty to say about the significance of water in Holy Baptism, but we seldom mention the significance of Chrism.  Our English word Chrism is derived from the Greek word χρίσμα, meaning ointment or anointment.  The same Greek word is the root for "Christ" and means "anointed one" – Jesus is the Anointed One.

    Blessing chrism The Episcopal Church liturgy for consecration of this oil provides a brief but helpful explanation.  However, since the consecration of Chrism is reserved to the Bishop, the liturgy usually happens only once a year at a time when few people are present to witness it.  Yesterday, at Grace Cathedral in Topeka, Bishop Wolfe presided over a service that included consecration of Chrism.  We heard the Bishop give this introduction:

    Dear Friends in Christ: In the beginning, the Spirit of God hovered over the creation; and, throughout history, God, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, he empowered his people to serve him.  As a sign of that gift, the priests and kings of Israel were anointed with oil; and our Lord Jesus was himself anointed with the Holy Spirit at his Baptism as the Christ, God's own Messiah.  At Baptism, Christians are likewise anointed by that same Spirit to empower them for God's service.  Let us now set apart this oil to be the sign of that anointing.

    The Bishop then placed a hand on the vessel of oil and prayed

    Eternal Father, whose blessed Son was anointed by the
    Holy Spirit to  be the Savior and servant of all, we pray you to
    consecrate this oil, that those who are sealed with it may
    share in the royal priesthood of Jesus Christ; who lives and
    reigns with you and the  Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.  Amen.

    So, in Holy Baptism our sins are washed away.  We are included in God's covenant, joined with the Risen Christ, and given the seal (guarantee) of the Holy Spirit, who will continue to work in us.  When we rise from the waters of Bapitsm, we receive an outward anointing that assures us of our inward Chrism anointing.  This act establishes our true identity.  We are royalty, the adopted sons and daughters of the Sovereign of the Universe!  We are "marked as Christ's own for ever."

    Living into that identity is an opportunity for daily epiphanies, dearly anointed ones.

    Ron

  • The Vocation We Share

    On Tuesday evening of this week, I attended the ordination of William Breedlove to the Sacred Order of Priests at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Mission, Kansas.  A fine congregation of lay persons, priests, deacons, and the Bishop of Kansas were there to set this man apart for priestly work in Christ's one holy catholic Church.

    Throughout my ministry, the hangings and vestments used for ordinations have been red, symbolizing the Holy Spirit and the ministry of the Apostles.  However, on this occasion, we were asked to wear white.  The explanation that was given was that it was to emphasize the relationship of Holy Orders to Holy Baptism.

    Perhaps it was the change of color that nudged my consciousness and caused me to hear certain elements of the service in new ways.  For example, at the beginning of the portion of the liturgy referred to as The Examination, Bishop Wolfe read these words from the Book of Common Prayer:Ordination Breedlove

    My brother, the Church is the family of God, the body of Christ, the temple of the Holy  Spirit.  All baptized people are called to make Christ known as Savior and Lord, and to share in the renewing of his world.

    It was as if I heard those words for the very first time.  Everything that follows in the liturgy emphasizes the priestly work of nourishing Christ's people from the riches of his grace for the building up of the family of God so that all may fulfill the calling we all share by virtue of our Baptism, to "make Christ known as Savior and Lord, and to share in the renewing of his world."

    These are truly powerful words about a powerful force set loose in the world!  May we reflect on them as we enter the time of Advent when we offer Ember Day prayers for those in Holy Orders, those discerning a call to ordained ministry, and all Christians in their vocation.  December Ember Days are Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following December 13 (St. Lucy's Day).  The Book of Common Prayer offers three prayers for use on those days.  Here is the one that applies to all the Baptized:

    Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

    Ron