Photo: John O’Hara
inspires us to imagine grace extending above the highest mountains, into the depths of the sea and embracing the earth for all generations. It may surprise us to learn that Luther’s prayer
at baptism speaks of “holy water” being “set apart.” Many people think of holy water as the bowl of water that has been blessed by a baptismal prayer. But according to Luther’s prayer, all water is holy. The prayer says that in Christ’s baptism God has “sanctified and set apart the Jordan and all water for a saving flood.” Here, instead of discarding the concept of holy water, Luther radically expands it. In his vision, holy water has become a flood. He wrote: “Christ by the touch of his most
innocent flesh has hallowed all waters, yes even all creation, through baptism.”
Luther focused on the salvation of the human
species rather than the great procession of every species finding safety in the ark. However, theologian Cal DeWitt memorably called Noah’s flood “the world’s first endangered species act.” Together with that great parade of earth’s other species, we humans continue to experience floods of both wrath and grace, as sea levels rise, rains pour and glaciers melt. The flood of baptism places Christians in
solidarity with all those creatures who suffer in every flood of wrath. When the waters of baptism wash over someone, they are washed into God’s great work in which everything, dying and rising, is being renewed by God’s grace.
Continued on page 18
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