Baptismal Pools, Political Religion, and the Kingdom of God
Baptismal Pools, Political Religion, and the Kingdom of God, is a reflective Old Man in the Molue monologue exploring baptism, discipleship, political religion, mercy, justice, and the enduring witness of St. John Chrysostom.
"CMS! Obalende! One chance!"
The conductor slapped the rusted side of the yellow Molue.
The old man climbed aboard without looking up. One hand gripped the overhead rail; the other held a battered canvas bag bulging with books.
"I’m going to Tinubu Square. Please find a route that passes near enough so I can come down," he said to the conductor in Yoruba, with a fluency that belied the fact that he wasn’t a native.
"A ti gbọ."
He sat beside a young man who lowered his head briefly before raising it again—the closest he could come to bowing to an older man while seated.
The bus lurched forward.
The familiar Lagos symphony took over: the rattle of loose windows, impatient horns, hawkers weaving effortlessly through traffic.
Then the young man frowned at his screen.
"Hmmm..."
He chuckled.
"They’re installing baptismal pools as part of the celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary."
The old man didn’t look up.
"Baptismal pools?"
"Yes, Baba. Baptismal pools."
The old man nodded slowly, almost to himself.
"Baptismal pools..."
He looked around the Molue as though searching for someone who could explain how Christianity had wandered so far from Christ.
He sighed.
"Baptismal pools..."
Another long pause.
"I had to read it twice."
The old man looked at him.
"Wow."
The Kingdom Has Arrived...
"The Kingdom of God has finally arrived.
Not through repentance.
Not through mercy.
Not through justice.
Not through loving your neighbour.
Not through feeding the hungry.
Not through welcoming the stranger.
Not through forgiving your enemies.
No.
Through baptismal pools.
Really?
By this administration, no less?
The same administration whose immigration policies have become synonymous with raids, masked officers, families torn apart at the click of a mouse, parents disappearing without warning, children left scrambling, people given no chance even to put their affairs in order.
Cruelty, repackaged as strength.
Fear, marketed as patriotism.
Power, celebrated as virtue.
But...
Come and be baptized."
Into What?
"Into what?
Into Christ?
Into what?
Forgive me," he said to no one in particular, "but is my voice getting louder?
Well...
Perhaps I am raising my...
Let's just say...
Perhaps I'm raising my fucking voice.
Because there comes a point where silence becomes complicity."
The Nightmare
"No, wait.
Let's be serious.
Seriously, I am not kidding.
When does this nightmare end?
What nightmare?
This relentless full-court press to replace Christianity with something that isn't.
The Cross remains.
The language remains.
The ceremonies remain.
The baptisms remain.
But Christ...
Where is He in all this?"
Where Is Christ?
"Where is the Christ who blessed the poor?
The One who welcomed the stranger?
The One who commanded us to love our enemies?
The One who was merciful to sinners?
The One who said:
'Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
Where is He?
In the baptismal pool?
Just come and be baptized.
Into what?"
The Counterfeit Gospel
"Sometimes I think the greatest miracle is not that people reject Jesus.
It is that they can invoke His name while constructing a moral universe He would scarcely recognize, and people flock after them.
And so many zealous pastors converge around the spectacle.
'Thursday's theme was Faith, Values and Inspiration.'
Faith... in what?
Values... what values?
Inspiration... to do more of what?"
Two points are, to my mind, unassailable:
1. Caesar cannot legislate holiness
👉 https://therealdonkenobi.substack.com/p/caesar-cannot-legislate-holiness?r=2mgx0
2. Neither is the doorway the house
👉 https://therealdonkenobi.substack.com/p/the-doorway-is-not-the-house?r=2mgx0
After the Shouting
And perhaps this is where I lower my voice.
Anger alone has never built the Kingdom of God.
We must not grow weary.
Christ never promised that deception would disappear overnight.
He warned us that false prophets would come.
That many would be led astray.
That the love of many would grow cold.
He also told us not to lose heart.
So?
So we keep doing good.
We remain vigilant.
We refuse to grow weary.
We keep blessing those who curse us.
We keep praying for those who persecute us.
We keep feeding the hungry.
We keep welcoming the stranger.
We keep defending the vulnerable.
We keep loving our enemies.
Will it be easy?
No.
But it will be possible.
Why?
Because it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.
And Christ—not Caesar—has the final word.
St. John Chrysostom, pray for us.
I rest.
Don Kenobi
#MyFrancisEssays | #OldManInTheMolue | #ChurchFathers | #Mercy | #LoveYourNeighbour | #WelcomeTheStranger | #Discipleship | #Beatitudes
Postscript
Who Was St. John Chrysostom?
St. John Chrysostom (c. AD 347–407) was one of the greatest preachers and theologians of the early Church.
Born in Antioch (modern-day Türkiye), he became renowned for his fearless preaching, profound knowledge of Scripture, and unwavering concern for the poor, the stranger, and those abused by the powerful.
His nickname, "Chrysostom," means "Golden-Mouthed," a tribute to his extraordinary gift for preaching.
As Archbishop of Constantinople, he condemned corruption, luxury, and the misuse of political and ecclesiastical power, insisting that authentic Christianity must be measured not merely by ritual or profession, but by mercy, justice, humility, and love.
His Boldness Came at a Cost
His courage earned him many enemies.
After repeatedly confronting the imperial court and influential church leaders, he was exiled.
He died in exile in AD 407, with the words traditionally attributed to him:
"Glory be to God for all things."
Today, St. John Chrysostom is revered as one of the greatest Fathers of the Church.
His writings and homilies continue to challenge Christians to see Christ in the poor, welcome the stranger, care for the vulnerable, and live the Gospel with courage.
His life reminds us that true Christianity is not merely about sacred ceremonies.
It is about becoming more like Christ.
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