ritual cleansing

Arrested Development, a popular television show, parodies modern American life and shines a light (and TV camera) on some of our less healthy practices. Set in a coastal town, the series included several special episodes that featured the obnoxious behaviors that tend to come out during the annual American-sacred-week of spring break. Seeing one of those episodes recently made me reflect on the typically unacceptable behaviors that come out when people visit our beach. The adage “let your freak flag fly” may become a literal practice as too-many cars drive up and down the beach flying as many flags as possible, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as you well know.

            Most of our vacationers, of course, are wonderful and are here to enjoy our beautiful island  with families and friends. But, this summer, I have been hearing, brought more visitors than years past. They came in droves releasing whatever pent-up energies they have been saving all year; they arrived, did what they did, and then they left. And we are left behind with metal tent-frames, drink containers, and of course, their money. I wonder though, what they leave here spiritually. When they arrive to let their hair down, what psychosocial energies do they project on our town? Having performed their annual cleansing-visit to Port Aransas, what residue do they leave beyond the obvious, material-kind.

  I’m concerned most about those of you on the front lines, in the service industry.  Those of you who dealt directly with our summer visitors in restaurants, stores, and rentals probably carry the heaviest load. I would invite you to find a way to start anew and remember your baptism in this new season.

            Ritual cleansing as a regular practice is not very common these days, though some churches always have holy water available for us to touch, make the sign of the cross, and remember  our baptisms. Whether it’s from the holy water font of a church, or it’s wading out into the gulf, now is a good time to intentionally and consciously wash away the summer residue that has been left behind. Take a moment to remember the baptismal waters by which you are washed clean and made a child of God, and experience a fresh start for a fresh season. Say a little prayer, take a deep breath, and wash it all away; say goodbye to the burdens you were bearing this summer.

            I am, of course, thankful for our visitors, our economy depends on them. This article is more of a “family letter” for you my brothers and sister who consciously or unconsciously carried a burden of offering the wonderful island hospitality that people have come to know and love when they visit Port Aransas. Now it is time to remember to take care of yourself.

            In the book of Romans, St. Paul describes the practice of baptism: going down into Christ’s death, letting our old life die, then being raised up to new life in Christ’s resurrection, born again. When we remember our baptism in a ritual cleansing, we can once again experience that death and resurrection in our lives, washing away all that needs to be washed away: liberated from past burdens, and open to new possibilities. 

Originally published in the South Jetty Newspaper.