December 7, 2014 Mark 1:1-8

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 preached, “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.” ************************************************************************************************************ I tried on ski boots a week ago, and hated the process. Walking over to the wall of left feet and then having to find a salesperson in order try on a right in my size, seemed an old fashioned sales tactic and an unnecessarily lengthy ordeal. Like a four year old, I just wanted to do it myself. The salesman came back with two boxes, placing them on the floor before me, like an offering, and then kneeling down he proceeded to take each right out, undo it’s clasps, remove the paper stuffed inside, and one at a time open them up like a card handing them over for approval to me sitting above him on the bench. I imagine this must have been what it would be like to be some sultan or king with surfs and servants and ladies in waiting, waiting on me hand and foot. It was the un-comfort of a serenade, the archaic chivalry of a proposal, the embarrassment of a compliment overly stated, and an all too generous gift. It assumes that one is greater than the other, and I reject this perception, but I know what John means, when he states, “I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.” I understand the scripture where passing through a crowd Jesus asks, “Who touched my robe?” and a woman shaking and scared comes forward with her confession of hope. She is more daring than I. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the lace of his shoe or kneel and open up a ski boot like unscrewing a vile of Frankincense and lifting it to his nose. I understand John feeling unworthy, because the places I see Jesus, are beyond my power, and beyond my preparation. I cannot dawn a sunrise, or calculate when my knees will weaken with laughter unabandoned. I am always humbled by the thoughtfulness of someone following up after a slight mention of a hard time. I remain in awe of the wisdom of a good friend in simplifying complexities that keep me up at night, and I am eternally thankful for the bouncing dance of exuberant children and the quiet taste of lavender. These moments are beyond my power and beyond my preparation and to attempt would be to belittle their wonder. It is in this wonder I stand, and I can imagine why the wisemen followed that star, or the shepherds hurried off after the angels sang, or why John leapt in his mother womb at the company of Jesus in Mary’s or why the people flocked to the Jordan, or we to this story each year. It isn’t because John, or the wise men, or the shepherds, or we are worthy to follow, or hurry off, or leap, or even come to the bank. Because we aren’t, nor were they, but he was and is still coming. At the manger, at the Jordan, at the moment, they and we are to find him like a salesman, and Jesus will come back with two boxes, placing them on the floor before us, like an offering, and then kneeling down he will proceeded to take each right out, undo it’s clasps, remove the paper stuffed inside, and one at a time, open them up like a card handing them over for us to receive sitting above him on the bench. We are surely unworthy, but he still comes, just as he came then, and will come again.

November 30, 2014 Mark 13:24 - 37