John the Baptist
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…the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
- Mark 1:3
So, I love John the Baptist. I’m not sure why I love him so much, but every Advent I get the chance to try to put words around his witness to us. And this year I will get two chances. This Sunday we’ll read the description of John in the gospel of Mark, and next week we’ll hear John’s description, which isn’t all that different. I always wonder why the lectionary was constructed this way in Year B.
Whatever the reason, there are two Sundays dedicated to the appearance of John the Baptist in the wilderness this year. That means two Sundays to really listen to what he is saying. Prepare! We hear John’s words repeatedly every year in Advent, and so perhaps we are not always hearing them anymore. Maybe lectionary year B doesn’t want our ears to be closed. Maybe lectionary year B is designed this way because it wants us to be all ears!
There’s something about God’s truth that has been ringing through our readings all fall - the truth that sometimes makes us a bit uncomfortable, but that we know is true nonetheless: we could always practice being more awake - to ourselves, to our neighbors and to God. And now here’s John back again - telling us this very thing from the desert - twice. Maybe it’s to make sure we’re really listening.
During Advent we’re called to practice having our ears, minds and hearts wide open to listen for God coming into our lives. I will be practicing as I engage with, and prepare to preach about, my esteemed John the Baptist this Advent.
