We’re all
weary of the Covid-19 pandemic, yearning for the relief a vaccine promises.
When this
scourge ends, most of us can’t wait to hug friends and relatives again, dine
together without fear of contagion, travel for vacations and recycle our
growing stash of masks.
A similar
longing for a better way to live is front and center in the opening lines of
Mark’s Gospel (Mark 1:1-8). The common
people of Palestine, at the time of John the Baptist, were weary of imperial
propaganda and oppression emanating from Rome.
They wanted it to end and looked to young, charismatic leaders to
restore a life they once had; free of cruel foreigners who worshiped emperors
and elite Jewish leaders who compromised themselves in order to avoid Rome’s
wrath while burdening the poor with trivial rule upon rule.
In these
first lines of Mark’s succinct Gospel, the author uses the word “gospel” to shock
us to attention. In Jesus’ time, the
word gospel announced military victories and new rulers. This Gospel is of Jesus Christ the Son of
God—not the divine man Caesar.
I like the
Gospel of Mark for a few reasons. Every
word, phrase, and anecdote seem charged with meaning. It’s the shortest of the four Gospels, and
it’s unique in its descriptions of the role of Jesus and His message to upend
the status quo and inaugurate the Reign of God on the earth.
So, as the
Gospel begins, the author alerts us to a radical story about to unfold. He wants us to be as attentive as when the
propaganda machine of Rome announced another conquest or another Caesar. It’s a news bulletin delivered by a man
noticeably outside the establishment, wearing camel hair and a leather belt,
living in the wilderness on honey and locust.
John was on
serious mission: to get people ready for an amazing transformation of
everything familiar. It’s as if he was
saying, “Your old, selfish, self-destructive, fearful ways must cease. This man, this ‘anointed
leader,’ who I’m
introducing, will astound you and the world. So change now!
Ritualize your change with a baptism of water by me, so you can be open
to receive His mind-boggling message. This
message is going to be stronger than any other you’ve ever received. It will radically change everything. But be warned!
This good news at first might scare you. And it may well cost you your life!”
In fact, it was
a subversive message, aimed directly at Caesar and those abusing power in the
Jewish social order. These opening lines
were a declaration of war upon the political culture of the empire.
As Pope
Francis encourages repeatedly, Christians must examine our lives in light of
our loyalties. Do I worship idols? Is any project, achievement, possession,
financial portfolio, amusement, drug or alcohol, sport or hobby or organization
a false god to whom I devote excessive time and attention, neglecting what God
asks of me?
Advent can
be the time for the self-examination Pope Francis advises. Setting a quiet reflection period each day
before Christmas can help us excise our idols and rededicate ourselves to
living totally as God wants. This will
usher in a joy and energy that withers our weariness, even in the middle of a
pandemic. But be warned, it may also cost you your life!
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