The Second Sunday of Advent
Sunday 10 December 2017
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Mark 1:1-8 (NRSV)
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
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In this Gospel we find John the Baptist, the Forerunner to the Child Messiah, preparing the way for Jesus to be revealed at the Baptism in the Jordan that marks the beginning of the ministry of God Incarnate in human flesh. It's tempting for us with this Gospel to look forward to the Christmas celebration that is coming our way, and perhaps even to the Feast of the Lord's Baptism that will mark the beginning of the Season of Epiphany once our Christmas celebration is complete. But remember that we are in Advent when we hear this. We are looking not for the Christ child but for the victorious Jesus. Our Church year begins not at where the story of Jesus begins but rather at the culmination of the Gospel and the saving acts and presence of Jesus. With that in mind, this Gospel is a reminder for us that we who now live in the world are called to prepare the way for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, to draw the hearts of the people of our generation to Jesus, not to a cute little baby but to the powerful God of all who is tender in his touch and loving in his presence, who longs for all people to draw near and to live with God forever. We are the Forerunners of Christ. We are John in our own day and generation.
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Fr. Timothy Alleman
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