Celebrating My Baptismday

While everyone else is having whopping huge anniversary reactions re: winter holidays of yesteryear, I'm having one of my own. December 30th is my Baptismday.

Since I was already in my 40s, not only do I remember this blessed event, but I remember the preceding strum und drang. This is my esoteric way of characterizing nearly a decade of spiritual emergency. Not a lot of fun at the time and I have yet to generate any euphoric recall about those years. Lucky me, I can still feel, at the cellular level, the sometimes blunt, sometimes razor-like edges of events that compelled saying "yes" to Jesus.

I'm finally getting around to writing more about all that. For now let me note that I remain grateful for full immersion, each time, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Even though we profess to "acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins,"I doubt dribbling a handful of holy water would've had as much of an impact.

Now in Print: Why Is There a Menorah on the Altar? Jewish Roots of Christian Worship

In print at last! In print at last!
Thank God Almighty,
my new book is in print at last!

For a while, I thought I'd have a much better chance of seeing Jesus come again in glory, but a carton filled with printed copies of Why Is There a Menorah on the Altar? was at long last delivered by UPS earlier this week.

Of course, the snafus continue, latest one being Amazon.com's persistent belief that "this title has not yet been released." I've asked the publisher to look into it, as well as authorize (note ironic word use) the "Look in the Book" function. We'll see how long that takes, meanwhile I hope you will:

• order my book by clicking through to amazon.com from the Shelfari widget on this blog.

• post a favorable review directly on the amazon.com page for this book.

• encourage adult faith formation folks in your church to use my book as foundation for discussions about Judaism's enduring legacy. I wrote this book for Christians who worship at "high liturgy" churches.
  

• contact me directly (as someone already has) with your personal concerns about the ecumenical turn my work and life seem to be taking.
  

And now, I think I'll go sit on my front stoop to wait for Jesus and Elijah.

Do you celebrate your Baptismday?

My Baptismday is December 30th and I'm planning to make a big deal out of it this year, albeit in the quiet privacy of my own home. This anniversary feels significant and I, of course, have some theories about why.

First, I'm in the throes of writing about baptism for my new book, Why is There a Menorah on the Altar? Jewish Roots of Christian Worship. That chapter includes a brief personal recollection of the event, so it's top o' whatever mind I have left.

But it also feels like something else is going on; something deeper and broader. These days I'm keenly aware of interacting more ecumenically and it's expanding my felt sense of being Christian. And where might I be having illuminating conversations with Christians who are not Catholic? On Twitter. No joke!

Here, I simply want to announce my Baptismday. According to my own great advice in The Catholic Home, I'll be eating lots of white food and contemplating seashells. Maybe I'll rummage through my summer wardrobe and haul out something white to wear. You might consider doing the same for your Baptismday when it comes around.

Meanwhile, you can help celebrate mine by suggesting a Baptismal name -- for me. I didn't receive or choose one at the time, possibly because I wasn't baptized in the Catholic church. Shocked? Repeat after me from The Creed, "We acknowledge one Baptism..."