January 1, 2012 Reflection by Rev. David Boyd

 I was watching a bit of the Morning News on Thursday morning; I was only half paying attention. A technology reporter was being interviewed and my brain registered the word "gamefication." He said that internet companies, because of the hugely popular online gaming, are trying to construct their websites to look like games. You get to a certain level and then you get a reward before you move on to another level. The other phrase that this technology reporter used was "augmented reality." This is the idea that if you are using your mobile phone or smart technology, you can take a view an object—he used the example of the Eye in London, England—and when you view it using smart technology, it will augment your view with fireworks or interesting lighting or something that isn't happening at the time but that did happen before—augmented reality!

I'm not knocking this technology; I don't really know enough about it. I admit to a certain level of fear about where technology might take us and how much it could hide us from the truth of reality. I have a question about how you can augment reality, and there are some ethical questions that we need to deal with in our own lives and in the broader society about technology. Having said all of this, though, I am gradually moving into the digital age; I now have a new iPod and am enjoying it. I am cautious around some of the advances in technology. We certainly can't turn our backs on it—we are human beings after all and we are hard-wired to create new ways to enhance our living.

As I thought about the idea of augmented reality, I found myself thinking about what this morning means both for Rodney and his family and for all of us. What a great way to begin the new yearÑthinking about what is important, affirming the deeper spiritual values by which we choose to live our lives, affirming that we want to help make the world a better place. The reality of this experience of baptism doesn't need augmenting or maybe it's more that technology can't help with augmenting the reality of this moment.

I wonder if the idea of augmented reality isn't more of a spiritual dilemma. A lot of popular culture is what I think of as pseudo-spirituality. There is a spiritual dimension to it, but it is often unrecognized or unappreciated and sometimes even leads us down a path that isn't life-giving, but leads to addictionsÑaddictions to gaming or TV or entertainment or sports or gambling orÉ Sometimes popular culture leads us to think that the virtual world is the real world and this world in which we live isn't all that great. The emphasis on vampires these days is part of this entertainment spirituality that doesn't augment reality in my opinion, but can skew us into thinking our lives would be much more exciting and real if we lived a different way or if reality were different.

For me, this experience this morning, sharing in the baptism of Rodney, is about being grounded more firmly in reality. We use real symbols like water and hands and candles and friends; these symbols do point to something beyond ourselves—to love, to God, to Christ's presence. This action of baptism this morning I believe takes us more deeply into the depths of our humanity where we discover new hope for living more fully. And in plumbing the depths of our humanity, there we meet God and God's creative spark and energy. There is no secret wisdom in this; there is nothing hidden. We come before God naked in a sense, open to a new experience, and the water on our foreheads reminds us that this world is infused with God's SpiritÑit is infused with the divine spark of life that is God's gift to all creation.

All religions have rituals and traditions that enable us to live our lives more fully, that enable us to live the truth of love more deeply. Luke tells us of Mary and Joseph taking Jesus as the first-born to the Temple for the ritual dedication. Jesus was already circumcised as his tradition dictated. Mary also would have participated in a ritual of blessing giving thanks for the birth. Anna and Simenon recognize in Jesus the reality of God's love, the fulfilment of the reality of God's promise of healing and wholeness in the world. Rituals open us to the depths of our humanity, which is where we encounter the depths of God's presence.

With a baby, holding this tangible life, this ball of gurgling, downy softness, it is not hard to know what is real. This life is real. This moment is real. This gift is real. What better to begin the year but with this reminder that life is precious and a gift. While Rod is not a baby, nonetheless symbolically we all are babies in some ways as we mark a new beginning.

John Wesley, the 18^th Century English Reformer who started Methodism, is one of my heroes. Every year on the first Sunday of the year, he would lead a congregation in what he called a covenant service. Wesley, in his long life, constantly fought against the Church of England's classism and disinterest in the plight of the poor and disenfranchised. He fought to reform penal laws, create laws around the easy availability of gin and its consequent horrors for families. Many of the values that Charles Dickens wrote about in his novels were proclaimed by Wesley and his Methodist followers 100 years before. They were decried as "enthusiasts," which was not a popular term; it was a derisive term in 18th Century England. But it was true of Wesley and reflected in his covenant services; "enthusiasm" literally means "full of God," "ent-theosed." Wesley urged his friends to begin the New Year with a new sense of God's presence in their lives and the call to ease the suffering of family and friends.

Part of the covenant reads thus:

Christ has many services to be done:
   Some are easy, others are difficult.
Some make others applaud us, others bring only reproach.
Some we desire to do because of our own interests, others seem counter to our natures.
Christ strengthens us and gives us the power to do these things.
  And so, I give myself to you, O God.
  Assign me to my place in your creation...1

I'm not opposed to technology for it has its place in assisting in our health and welfare. But I want the reality of water and Spirit. I want the reality of community and face to face encounters. I want the reality of love shared and discovered. I want the reality of peace on earth and good will towards all. If reality is to be augmented, let it be augmented by the truth of love, companionship, grace, friendship, and new beginnings. Rodney, in your courage to declare a new journey of faith, we are delighted to journey with you, to be your companions to discover the beauty and wonder of life.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

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¹   The Handbook of the Christian Year, Abingdon Press, 1992, pg 82-83.