John the Baptist
Dear friends and members of St. Matt’s,
This Saturday, the church will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist. John, of course, we hear from most often in Advent as we await the birth of Jesus. We remember John for preparing the way for Jesus, the voice crying out in the wilderness foretold in Isaiah. We remember his rough, wildness – the ways in which he challenged the people and the world around him to live more fully and more faithfully. He strongly associate him with baptism, as he called God’s people to the banks of the Jordan to repent and begin again. And of course, it is John who baptizes Jesus in that very water as Jesus prepares for his own public ministry.
The texts for this feast day are fascinating – and you can read them here. This week, I’m particularly drawn to the Epistle, where Paul gives us the shortest of history lessons about God’s relationship with the people of Israel. This summary ends with John promising that the One the world has been waiting for is coming. And Paul ends his speech by saying: “My brothers, you descendants of Abraham’s family, and others who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.” Meaning, this One who is salvation, this one who fulfills history, has come. And his name is Jesus.
John’s story is an interesting one. He’s a fascinating character. His was not an easy path. And though very different than our own, he has a lot to teach us about determination, about the willingness to pursue the work we’ve been called to, about a desire to be of use to God and God’s mission in the world. In the next few days, I invite you to look at the prayer included below and to pray it each day, to invite John into your day. What would it mean for us, like John, to constantly speak the truth? To boldly rebuke that which is wrong in the world around us (perhaps not the vice in others so much, but the places of injustice, where others are taken advantage of or abused)? What does it mean in your own life to patiently suffer for the sake of the truth? As always, if you have questions about this – or want to talk more about it – my door is always open.
I want to offer my thanks once again to everyone who was here on Sunday and to everyone who had a hand in the day as we celebrated God making a covenant with our youngest member, who happens to be mine. Thank you for helping to make the day so special.
I hope to see you Sunday. God loves you. And so do I.
Faithfully,
–Marissa +
Almighty God, by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth’s sake; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.