This Reflection is taken from the Sunday Devotion written by this blogger for Christ Episcopal Church, Yankton, SD on January 10, 2021.
Mark 1:4--13
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.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
REFLECTION
Eternal light shine in our hearts.
Amen.
+
The Gospel of Mark is perhaps my favorite gospel account that introduces us to Jesus. Apart from being from Nazareth of Galilee, Mark offers us no other information about Jesus’ past. Jesus simply shows up to be baptized in the Jordan river by John the Baptizer. In fact, we have more information about who John the Baptizer is than we do of Jesus at the start of Mark’s gospel.
This lack of information in Mark’s Gospel strikes me as being in line with God’s signature involvement in human affairs; the out-of-the-blue selection of someone no one would suspect. God chose a lot of average (and some unlikely) Joes and Marys throughout scripture to carry out God’s will.
For example, consider Abraham and Sarah who, in their seventies, were called to begin a journey to a promised land that their yet unborn offspring would inherit or a deceptive Jacob who steals his elder brother’s birthright or an arrogant dreamer, Joseph, who antagonizes his brothers with his prophetic dreams. Consider God’s choice of a murderer like Moses who is on the run for killing an Egyptian only to be called to return to Egypt and lead his people to the Promise Land or a young shepherd like David, thought to be a non-contender for the for role of Israel’s king by his father Jesse.
In keeping with God’s signature move in human affairs, Mark places Jesus on the world stage simply as a person who shows up to be one of many who decide to turn things around in their lives by being baptized by John. This sparsity of information surrounding Jesus at the beginning of Mark’s gospel also serves as an invitation to get to know Jesus better as we follow his story through this gospel.
In Mark’s gospel, a new day dawned when this previously unknown Jesus left the waters of John’s baptism and found his life turned upside down by the immense revelation of being identified as God’s beloved child and experiencing the pleasure of our Father descend on him as a renewing spirit.
When Jesus emerged from the waters of John’s baptism, he found himself in new spiritual landscape. Being driven by that new spirit into the wilderness (scripture’s universal metaphor for the world of our making) Jesus found himself equipped to deal with his own demons and, having dealt with them, found himself to be equipped to deal with ours.
* * * * * * * * * *
There is a new day recognized in every baptism that takes place.
Like Jesus, baptism is our entry into our life-calling to be a child of God, no matter where we come from, what our circumstances are, or where this life’s journey leads.
Like Jesus, we are sent into the wilderness of this world where we encounter our demons and those of others; those dark moments and places where we are tempted and feel threatened.
Like Jesus, we find strength through the Word of God instilled in us; that Word which sheds light on that darkness, which such darkness cannot overcome.
Like Jesus, we will find ourselves attended by angels, often unaware.
* * * * * * * * * *
Heavenly Father, send your life-giving and life-sustaining light into our hearts that we may be guided by truth in the darkness of these times, and grant your holy angels to attend and protect us and our nation and the people of all the nations from forces of darkness that would tempt and threaten to disturb and disrupt, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * *
Until next time, stay faithful.
Norm
No comments:
Post a Comment