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Gospel: Mark 1: 1-8
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”
John the Baptist appeared in the desert
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel’s hair,
with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey.
And this is what he proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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While the Titanic was cruising in the northern Atlantic on that fateful night in 1912, another ship, the Californian, was sailing only a few miles away.
The captain of that ship saw icebergs off in the distance so he reversed his course. Although he signaled the Titanic about the danger ahead, that captain was too distracted by other passengers to notice.
So, the two ships, in the words of Longfellow, “passed as ships in the night.”
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During the Christmas season, it’s easy to feel like we’re onboard two different ships.
Markets are bustling with activity, while the Church observes the quiet waiting of Advent.
A jolly Santa Claus tells us to be merry, while John the Baptist tells us to, “repent.”
By December 26th, gifts are unwrapped and Christmas trees are often taken down, while the Church celebrates Christmas for nearly two more weeks, until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
This season can feel like two ships passing in the night.
Perhaps we’re being invited to find the right balance, to enjoy the anticipation of the season, the gift-giving, the time spent with family and friends, while also challenging ourselves to go deeper, to make room for the Christ-child, the reason for the season.
So, what might the Lord be saying to us in today’s Gospel?
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Mark’s Gospel is often called, “the Gospel of beginnings,” because it’s the first word he uses to tell his story.
“The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.”
Mark uses this verb begin nine times to describe the life and ministry of Jesus. What Mark never says is that our Lord stopped doing these actions; meaning, everything Jesus does is meant to continue through us.
So, which of these “beginnings” is the Lord inviting us to continue?
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The first is immediate: “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.”
Mark starts his Gospel by echoing the Book of Genesis. The first Christians would’ve made an instant connection: in Jesus, God is doing something new – he is creating a new order, a new creation, a new start for all who believe.
Perhaps one of us is in need of a new beginning. Turn to the Lord this Advent, who “makes all things new.”
In chapter 4, Mark describes the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, saying, he “began to teach by the sea.” Aren’t we all being called to continue that effort, sharing our faith with others in the workplace, in our social circles, in the open, by the sea, as it were?
Then, Jesus, “began teaching in the synagogue.” Perhaps the Lord is tapping you on the shoulder, inviting you to continue teaching our youth as a catechist in this house of worship.
Later, Jesus, “begins driving out those selling and buying in the Temple area.” Aren’t we all being cautioned to guard our hearts against all greed?
While walking through an open field, the disciples, “begin to pick heads of grain and to eat on the Sabbath.” Is the Lord calling you to feed the hungry this holiday season?
Finally, in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his arrest, Jesus pulls Peter, James, and John aside as he, “begins to be troubled and distressed.”
Maybe we, too, feel that way – troubled and distressed. Turn to the Lord, who proclaims through the prophet Isaiah, “Comfort, I will comfort my people.”
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Mark also uses this word, begin, to describe things that are contrary to the work of Jesus.
For example, when Jesus predicts his crucifixion and death, Peter pulls him aside and, “begins to rebuke him.” Don’t we find ourselves in Peter’s shoes at times, resisting the Lord’s will, unwilling to accept the future?
Later, the mother of the Apostles James and John asks Jesus for a special favor, to allow her sons to sit on his right and his left. When the other Apostles find out about this, they, “become indignant.” Outraged.
The Apostles provide a cautionary tale – do not be jealous of what others ask for or have.
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The two ships, the Titanic and the Californian, “passed as ships in the night.”
While it’s easy for us to feel like we’re being pulled in two different directions this holiday season, may we find the right balance – shopping and celebrating, while also digging deeper to encounter the Lord, the author of new beginnings.
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Image credits: (1) Wildhive (2) Pinterest (3) Joy M. Mills