You Are My Child

Mark 1:9-11

Father Mark begins by reflecting on the baptism of Jesus, when the heavens opened and God declared, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” He connects this moment to the Disney film The Lion King, using it as a modern parable about baptism and identity. Just as Simba forgets who he is—the son of the king—until he looks into the water and remembers his true heritage, so too are we called through the waters of baptism to remember who we truly are: beloved sons and daughters of God, made in His image and pleasing to Him, not because of what we do, but because of who we are.

Father Mark warns that, like Simba, we can easily lose sight of this true identity by becoming too comfortable in a “faraway land”—our culture, with its values and priorities often at odds with God’s kingdom. In baptism, we are invited to live out our divine identity by embodying Christ’s teachings: forgiving, loving our enemies, serving others, and living as citizens of God’s kingdom rather than as products of a divided world. Our baptismal vows remind us that our worth comes not from achievements or social standing, but from being God’s beloved children.

Finally, Father Mark speaks of baptism not just as a personal identity but as a communal calling. In being baptized, we join the “communion of saints,” a diverse and unified body that transcends time, race, politics, and nationality. Just as Simba returns to his community to serve the kingdom in love and unity, we too are called to build up the body of Christ, celebrating diversity without division. The sermon closes with the image of Mufasa and Simba lifting their children high—a beautiful parallel to God lifting each of us, declaring with joy: “You are my child, my beloved. With you I am well pleased.”

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.