December 10, 2000
Second Sunday of Advent
CHRISTIAN GOSPEL: Prepare the Way ~ Luke 3:1-6
When I was born people thought that I would be named after my father Zechariah. Zechariah, a priest in the house of Aaron. But my mother said, "No, his name shall be John." So it is, John. I was taught as a boy about my people, about how God had chosen us. How we're called to live our lives in accordance with all of God's purposes. As I grew older, I looked around me and I saw my people turning their backs on our God. Following their own concerns, looking out for their own comforts. I could understand the Romans, the Gentiles, for they knew nothing of our God, they pursued their own pleasures did as they pleased. But when our own people did the same it sickened me. I decided that the whole city needed to be washed in a purifying bath, that the whole stinking universe needed to be clean again. It was more than I could handle, so I went out to the wilderness. I went out alone to pray, to see what God would have me do. Then, bit by bit, I began to speak to those who were gathered. At first there were many that were eager to hear my words. There was a group living on the shores of the Dead Sea in the wilderness area. They call themselves the Essenes and they viewed the situation much as I did. They were waiting for the time when the Messiah would come. They were sharing in their goods, turning their backs on all of the luxuries of life in the city. When I began to speak they eagerly hung on my words. I used the image of Caesar. Caesar considered himself to be a God, the Prince of Peace. Wherever Caesar went, the mountains were leveled down, the valleys were filled, the pathways were made smooth for Caesar. For Caesar could not exert himself to go up and down, to travel from one place to another. For Caesar, the Roman Prince of Peace, everything would be made smooth. I knew that there was no answer in Caesar. I knew that there was no answer in any man. God alone would send the messenger. God alone would provide the Prince of Peace. We had to prepare ourselves. We were not ready to receive such a prince. So I cried out in the wilderness, "Prepare ye, prepare ye the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight. Fill in the valleys. Take down the mountains. Prepare a pathway for the Lord. Open your hearts."
I called people to a bath of repentance. To wash themselves clean in the Jordan River. And many came to hear me. Many were eager to hear my words, believing that I would organize the efforts against the Romans. And so they came to hear me speak against Caesar. They came to hear me speak words of challenge to Roman rule. But I was concerned even more with the hearts of our own people. I said, "You need to turn to God. You need to turn your back on these gentile ways. You need to live once again as God calls you to live." Well, not only did these Essenes gather and others who were seeking, but the leaders of the temple heard my words and they too came, wanting to know what it was that I was preaching. They listened to my words of challenge without flinching. I decided to make it clearer to them. I said, "I have seen wildfires sweep across the land burning up everything in their way. And out of the fire come small animals squeaking, screaming in terror, trying to run ahead of the flames. And then after the animals leave the fire, the silent ones come. The snakes, that no one had seen, that would have bit us in the heel before we noticed them. The snakes come slithering from the fire." I said to them, "You brood of vipers! You snakes! Who told you to flee from the fire? You call yourselves Sons of Abraham. God can take up these very rocks and make Sons of Abraham. That's how little it means. If you want to be saved from the fire, you will turn once again to God."
A woman came up to me, understanding my words and she said, "Sir, I am a Jew. I want you to wash me for forgiveness of sins." And I said, "My sister, you know of repentance?" And she said, "Wash me." And she tucked and rolled under the waters. And I put my hands out and slapped down in the water and I said, "Rise up again, O Daughter of God! Know God's forgiveness and love in your heart." As we stood there, I looked off in the distance. I thought I recognized the man standing there, watching. I saw the amber glint to his eyes. It had been years, some eighteen years, but I knew him to be my cousin, Mary's son, Jesus. And I knew that he was the one that would come to baptize, not with water, but with the Holy Spirit and with fire. I watched him as he came forward. He stood in front of me and he said, "Cousin, wash me." I looked him in the eyes not knowing what to do. He let himself down into the water, his hair floating and then gone as he sank to the bottom. I stood there for a moment. And then I came to myself, not knowing how long he had been on the bottom of the water. I snapped my hands down and said, "Son of God, arise from the waters! Know God's love and forgiveness in your heart." The waters parted and he stood up, exhaled, and took in a deep breath again. Then the skies opened and a dove flew down. The dove of Noah, the dove of peace. Jesus followed the dove out of the water and into the wilderness. And then it was as if a dam had broken All who were watching came down into the water begging to be cleansed, to be washed, to be baptized. Many received God's forgiveness and love that day.
It was some months later that my friends and I were preparing a meal. We heard a sound. At first, far off in the distance. Then louder and louder, a sound that grew like thunder. We saw soldiers mounted on horses bearing down upon us in the full armor of the Roman army. I told my friends to move to the side. They took a few steps away and then stood there dumbfounded. The soldiers came. They came and they took me and threw me into a cart and carried me off. I don't know what lies ahead for me. But I know whatever it is, it is nothing at all compared to what lies ahead for Jesus. For his way will be hard, but God's love will be known.