January 10, 2010
Pastor Caroline Satre

Baptism of our Lord

My Dad's side of the family is Scandinavian by background. Norwegian, to be exact. Yet, it wasn't until I spent four years in Minnesota and met Brad's family that I became somewhat well-versed in Scandinavian heritage and tradition. After all, my father-in-law started a festival of Scandinavian heritage in Minot, North Dakota, that has now been going strong for 35 years. The one mark against me as his daughter-in-law is that I cannot... but even if I could I would not... eat Lutefisk, the holiday delicacy of cod soaked in lye. Let's just say that dish was featured on the travel channel show "Bizarre Foods" for good reason.

Then there's the movie Fargo that made such a splash at the box office... not because it had such a good plot or extraordinary acting, but because of the odd way the characters talked. Well... if you've ever spent at least a fortnight in upper Wisconsin, Minnesota, or the Dakotas, you know that an expression like "Uffda, are you going to the store, then, or no?" is not really such an unusual thing. Just ask my step-daughter, who lives across the state line in Moorhead, Minnesota but is employed in Fargo, North Dakota!

Along with these humorous remnants of Scandinavian culture in the upper Midwest, there is also a phenomenon known as Ole and Lena jokes. Some of them also involve Sven, their Swedish friend, but by and large Ole and Lena get top billing as the lovable albeit not all that bright Norwegian couple. A lot of these jokes are word spoofs such as this one in honor of the upcoming Olympics:

Ole and Lena went to the Olympics. While sitting on a bench a lady turned to Ole and said, "Are you a pole vaulter?" Ole said, "No, I'm Norvegian...and my name isn't Valter."

A lot of them poke fun at the stoic tendencies that Scandinavians are known for.

Ole and Lena got married. On their honeymoon trip they were nearing Minneapolis when Ole put his hand on Lena's knee. Giggling, Lena Said, "Ole, you can go farther if ya vant to"... so Ole drove to Duluth.

And finally, the reason that you're hearing all of this on the Sunday of the Baptism of our Lord:

Ole and Lena had been married seven years. Lena was getting worried that Ole might be getting the seven year itch. Lena said to Ole "You never tell me you love me. Is there someone else?"

Ole replied, "Lena, when we got married I told you I loved you. If I ever change my mind I'll let you know."

I may not have known much about Fargo or Ole and Lena until I met Brad, but I did know something about Norwegian stoicism. In addition to lutefisk, this last joke lifts up one of the Scandinavian traits I'm trying to shake. Rather than have Ellie grow up just knowing I love her, I've made a conscious effort to tell her. When we part ways in the morning and when I tuck her in at night, I say "I love you." Even if we know we are loved, it is still good to hear it.

In our Old Testament reading today we hear God say "I love you." Called God's love letter, God says to us, "... you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you... " Believe it or not, this is the only time in the Bible that we actually hear God say these words.

God doesn't use those exact words, but when Jesus was baptized, he heard words of affirmation. Luke's Gospel tells us that "the heaven was opened... and a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." It's not quite an "I love you," but it is a solid affirmation.

As stoic as we may try to be, there is something to hearing a solid affirmation. There is something powerful about an affirming word. There are all kinds of internet stories that illustrate this. It's a bit sappy, but I like this one...

Mary had grown up knowing that she was different from the other kids, and she hated it. She was born with a cleft palate and had to bear the jokes and stares of cruel children who teased her non-stop about her misshaped lip, crooked nose, and garbled speech.

With all the teasing, Mary grew up hating the fact that she was "different". She was convinced that no one, outside her family, could ever love her ... until she entered Mrs. Leonard's class. Mrs. Leonard had a warm smile, a round face, and shiny brown hair. While everyone in her class liked her, Mary came to love Mrs. Leonard.

In the 1950's, it was common for teachers to give their children an annual hearing test. However, in Mary's case, in addition to her cleft palate, she was barely able to hear out of one ear. Determined not to let the other children have another "difference" to point out, she would cheat on the test each year. The "whisper test" was given by having a child walk to the classroom door, turn sideways, close one ear with a finger, and then repeat something which the teacher whispered. Mary turned her bad ear towards her teacher and pretended to cover her good ear. She knew that teachers would often say things like, "The sky is blue," or "What color are your shoes?" But not on that day. Surely, God put seven words in Mrs. Leonard's mouth that changed Mary's life forever. When the "Whisper test" came, Mary heard the words: "I wish you were my little girl."

I suppose I like this little tale because it reminds me of the words my Norwegian father-in-law wrote in his note for Ellie's 100 wishes quilt. He wrote, "You were loved even before we knew your name." I like the fact that this precious note is in a scrapbook for her, because even if she knows it, she may need to hear it again. And so today we hear God's affirming word, just as we do every year on this day. Oh... we don't always focus on this aspect of the text, but at least when Jesus' baptism according to St. Luke is paired with Isaiah's love letter from God, it seems appropriate to focus on God's affirmation of Jesus and God's affirmation of us. After all, in our baptism our lives become tied with Christ's in such a way that this message is not only for Jesus in roughly 30 AD, but it is for each and every one of us, as well. In an age when negative humor seems to rule the airwaves and the gigabytes... and many of us feel worn down and worn out by the cares and worries of each day... every once in a while we need to hear our heavenly parent say, "... with you, I am well pleased."

Maybe it's worth bookmarking these two texts in a Bible somewhere so that, on the days that you feel worn down and burned out... a bit empty and overwhelmed, you can turn to Isaiah 43 or Luke 3 and hear the affirming voice of God. As stoic as we may try to be (Scandinavian or not), every once in a while it is good to hear that, in spite of our many faults and imperfections... in spite of our many sins and failure to be the saints we are called to be... God looks at us and says "You are my Son, you are my Daughter, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Gracious God, we are grateful for the affirming word you speak to us today. Whenever we feel the weight of the world bearing down on us... or out of place like Mary in today's cheesy internet story... or just not up to par... remind us that we are precious in your sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church § 824 N. Lewis § Waukegan IL