The Gospel Reading for the Second Sunday of Advent: Year B
“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.” (Mark 1: 4 and 5)
In our Mark reading there are three points made. We have the notification of the coming of Jesus, we have the repentance of sins with baptism, and we have preparing the way for the arrival of Jesus.
In February of 2018 I was baptized in the River Jordan. We were all Christian clergy. I can remember that when it came to be my time to be among the baptizing ministers, there were more clergy in my line than the others and so my line was the longest line. When I inquired as to why, the response was, that these clergy folk wanted to be able to say that they were baptized in the River Jordan by “John.”
While I truly believe in one baptism for the remission of sins, This ceremonial baptism in Israel was something I couldn’t pass up. I enjoyed walking the Holy Land. But more important was re-living the life that our Lord Jesus experienced. The God in man who had no sin, was baptized for the remission of sins, our sins. We are so blessed because of Him. He has planted in us the seed of redemption and will soon come again to harvest his vineyard.
John lived on the fringes of the gathered communities. He was not swayed by money or human power or authority. He dressed rough and ate wilderness food. He was an empty cup made available to God for God to fill, as we should be today.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 