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The Baptism of The Lord

The Torah tells a legend from times past

of Noah, a holy man of prayer and fast,

and how he built a mighty ark to save mankind,

and living creatures, that they not be left behind,

and perish in the flood. When finally the waters fell,

he sent out a dove, and she returned, a tale to tell,

for in her grasp, a olive branch of hope and peace,

to show that now the flood did cease;

then the ark settled on the dry land once more;

so tells the tale of days of yore.

The Exodus is a tale of seeking hope, new life,

an end to the Egyptian slavery and strife;

so did Moses tell his people, when he set them free,

and they came out of exile, and passed across the sea;

and passing through the waters, they came to hear the voice

of God, offering them a promised land of choice,

after forty years in the wilderness, the barren ground

and craggy mountain rocks, at last they found,

that which they sought, a holy land to stay,

in which they could worship God and pray.

But as the years went by, they lost this sight,

and became again enslaved, a sorry plight.

As a man like us, Jesus came to the river banks

passed through the water, and gave thanks;

John the Baptist saw that God had acted here,

to bring new life, and to cast out all fear;

like a dove, the Spirit of God descends, a sign to see,

of how all promises foretold have come to be.

Then Jesus went to the wilderness to pray and fast

for forty days alone, in barren lands, until at last,

he returned to lead all people out of slavery,

that we might become what we should be,

a pilgrim people, looking onwards to that day,

in which we find our promised land to stay.

15.01.2004