Art Reading Scripture

Baptism Window, Trinity Lutheran Church Milaca, MN, Peter Dohmen, 1967

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea - for they were fishers. Matthew 4:18

Besides the obvious presence of water in the Baptism Window, two other images dominate, a shell and two fish. The water pours from the shell into the open mouths of the fish.

A shell is a typical symbol of baptism. It comes from the water. In many places a scallop shell is kept in the baptismal font to scoop up the water for pouring over the head of the baptized. The shell is also a symbol of pilgrimage, the life journey of faith, as it is associated with James, called by Jesus at the lakeside. According to tradition James established Christianity at Compostela in Spain. Christians, and others, since the 9th century have walked the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James, a 100 k journey. Pilgrimages are spiritual journey's, time for prayer, reflection and testing the spirit's endurance through suffering. The phrase 'solvitur amublando," meaning "it is solved by walking" embodies the idea of pilgrimage to seek spiritual enlightenment and devotion. The spiritual journey of life begins in baptism and continues to life's end. Moses led the children of Israel on such a journey. It began with passing through the waters of the Red Sea, involved 40 years of walking through the wilderness of the Sinai in which the people of God died and were born again, and finished as they passed through the waters of the Jordan into the Promised Land. The journey of life, our pilgrimage with God and each other, begins with the promise of baptism. We belong to God. We begin with God. God is with us throughout the journey. In the end we return to God in whom we have always and ever have life. Martin Luther describes the journey as a daily drowning of the old self in repentance and a daily rising to new life in Christ. Some remind themselves of this on a daily basis while taking a morning shower. As the water pours over one's head, remember that you are a child of God and that the way of God is your way through the day.

The second image, the two fish, is unusual, creative, imaginative. "Fish" in Greek is "Ichthys," (Iota, Chi, Theta, Uios, Sigma). The acrostic letters correspond with, Jesus, Christ, God, Son, Savior. In baptism we become members of the church, the body of Christ. We are fish, ichthys." Two fish represent community as opposed to individuality. When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John they were fishers casting their nets into the sea. Jesus called them to be "fishers of people." It is kind of an odd image. I've come to think of it in terms of death and resurrection, of being called to new life. One thing I know about fish is that they cannot live out of water. Fish fight to stay in the water. To leave the water is to die. Perhaps staying in the water is staying in the old life, the comfortable life, the life in which nothing needs to change. To be drawn out of the water means, in Luther's language, to die and be reborn to a new life. To follow Christ is to be a fish out of water, living a new life that is not the old life, not always a comfortable life, a life in which repentance means change. I suppose, what sustains us as fish out of water is the living water of baptism continually poured over us and through us. Even the baptized Luther says are at once sinner and saint, engaged in a struggle of wanting to return to the safety of the water and being drawn to a new life even as fish out of water.

Daily partake of these waters of salvation and remembrance. You have been baptized. You are a child of God. You are fish, out of water. You are the people of God on a pilgrimage together with the world. Along the way we live faith, hope and love, for our own well being, but even more so for the well being of those with whom we journey.

Keep the faith. Say your prayers. Love like Jesus.

Pastor Tim Bauer