Lectionary: 205
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| Greenery |
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
From the little I know of Zen Buddhism, I think its practitioners would be delighted by Saint John's reply. A voice crying in the desert is merely a sound. It spreads in widening circles only once. Perhaps it echoes off some rocky walls and glances off the still waters of the Jordan River; but -- like Macbeth's poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage, it is heard no more.
The Baptist's reply is certainly that of a man who has no desire to be anyone's hero. He is not the Savior, Prophet or Messiah. He is only the messenger, albeit a messenger who will be killed for delivering his message.
And yet Jesus will praise him, "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist."(Matt 11:11)
In the middle of our Christmas Season, with Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord yet to come, we turn our attention back to John the Baptist as we try to understand what is expected of us.
We are not Buddhist; we do not expect to disappear like a man's song in the wilderness. At one time none of us existed but God called us by name out of nothingness and now we live. We shall always live -- but we will never be God. Nor will we fade into the all-consuming majesty of God. With Jews and Muslims, we look forward to an eternity with the Otherness of God.
We will apprehend God then as we do now, as Beauty and Truth and Holiness. We will discover then as we do now, reflections of that beauty, truth and holiness in our selves. But we will always know that "I am not God," and we will be grateful for that.
Today we do penance for every attempt we have made to be God. We have occasionally judged and controlled as we suppose God does. We have hated, shunned, condemned and distanced ourselves from others, supposing that by so doing we could be more God-like. We did not appreciate the Humility of God who welcomes us into his presence without the burden of his controls or judgments.
Only as we disavow every attempt to be God do we recognize the Presence of God in our world, as John saw it so clearly in Jesus.
And by recognizing God's presence in others, we become the Presence of God to them.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.