Baptisms

Prepare his path, John, smooth his way:

tell them to turn and face the future,

the pilgrim path that leads to him. 

Tell them of the Spirit, John:

the Spirit of love and fire,

the Spirit of trial and testing. 

He comes to be baptised with water,

but when he rises from the river,

the Dove baptises him with God’s great Yes. 

Yes to the One, the beloved Son,

Yes to the path that will lead him on

to a final baptism: betrayal and death. 

But first the Spirit of love and fire

dunks him in the desert’s dusty heat,

a trial by combat with a testing foe. 

The refining fire does its work;

he rises, ready to tread the path,

and help his followers smooth the way. 

And when he rises from the Easter tomb

he pours his Spirit on the earth, 

immersing us in healing fire and love.