The Baptism of the Lord

John the Baptist is regarded as the last and greatest of the prophets in the Mandean Faith and they view him as the only true Messiah. John is also regarded as a prophet in Christianity, the Bahai faith and Islam. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Baptism of the Lord by John is celebrated on the first Sunday after Epiphany Sunday.

In any list of the most inspirational figures of the 20th Century, the names of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela would have great prominence. These were figures who were widely held in high regard and commanded great loyalty from their followers.

However, despite their admirable personal qualities, if they had lived at a different time or in a different place, they would be unknown.

What made them inspirational was their courage in speaking out and ability to articulate that which people knew, in their heart of hearts, was right.

And that message inspired revolutionary movements that threatened the status quo and directly challenged authority.

Each of these individuals paid the price for speaking out. While Gandhi and King were assassinated, Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years.

However, despite the assassinations and imprisonment, the challenge to authority persisted as the strength of feeling of the people was fuelled by a deep sense of injustice.

And eventually, the states of the Indian sub continent gained independence from British rule, racial discrimination was made illegal in the United States and apartheid was abolished in South Africa.

Similarly, if there was any list of the most inspirational figures of the 1st Century, the name of John the Baptist would loom large.

This was a figure who was widely held in high regard and commanded great loyalty, even devotion, from his followers.

“... for everyone held that John was a real prophet” (Mk. ch. 11 vs. 33).

However, despite his undoubtedly admirable personal qualities, if he had lived at a different time or in a different place he would be unknown.

What made him inspirational was his courage in speaking out when no-one else would.

“It is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah:

Look, I am going to send my messenger before you:
he will prepare your way.
A voice cries in the wilderness:
Prepare a way for the Lord,
make his paths straight.

And so it was that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ” (Mk. ch. 1 vs. 2-4)

The message from John was an inspiration to others.....

“All Judaea and all the people of Jerusalem made their way to him and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins.” (Mk. ch. 1 vs. 5)

.. because it articulated that which people knew, in their heart of hearts, was right.

“It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him.
And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved, my favour rests on you”.
(Mk. ch. 1 vs. 9-11).

But the message was a challenge to the authority of the time.

“Now it was …. Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, 'It is against the law for you to have your brother's wife'.” (Mk. Ch 6 vs. 17-18).

And John paid the price for speaking out.

“So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John's head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison” (Mk. ch. 6 vs. 27-28).

However, despite the arrest and execution, a movement was born as the strength of feeling of the people was fuelled by a deep sense of injustice.

“After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. 'The time has come' he said 'and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News'.” (Mk. ch. 1 vs.14-15).

And the challenge to authority persisted.

“...... King Herod had heard about him, since by now his name was well known.
Some were saying, 'John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him'. Others said, 'He is Elijah'; others again, 'He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have'. But when Herod heard this he said, 'It is John whose head I have cut off; he has risen from the dead'.” (Mk. ch. 6 vs 14-16).

Throughout human history, there has been conflict. Black against white. Nation against nation. Religion against religion. Jew against gentile; conflict that is fuelled by a deep sense of injustice. Whenever, we see injustice, we shouldn't wait for the inspirational figure but we should speak out and act according to that which we know, in our heart of hearts, is right. For that is the voice of Divine Reason. That is the voice of Christ.

“Jesus and his disciples left for the villages round Caesarea Philippi. On the way he put this question to his disciples, 'Who do people say I am?” And they told him. 'John the Baptist,' they said 'others Elijah; others again, one of the prophets. ' But you,' he asked 'who do you say I am?' Peter spoke up and said to him, 'You are the Christ'. And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him.” (Mk. ch. 8 vs. 27-30).

Dominick

The Epiphany

An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the (larger) essence or meaning of something.
In Western Christianity, it a feast day that marks the coming of the magi in adoration of the infant Jesus. In Eastern Christianity, it is a feast day that marks the baptism by John.
In both cases the feast day is celebrated on January 6th and marks the end of the Christmas season. It is also an opportunity for reflection.

Christmas can be a time of great joy. It can also be a time of great unhappiness. It has that effect. It amplifies emotions. Up and down the land, feelings are expressed in a similar vein to these.

“Your mother’s not coming on Christmas Day is she? She’ll only criticise.”

Wouldn’t it be good if someone with authority would exorcise these negative feelings?

“It’s all left to me. I have to do everything and I can’t think of everything. Make your own dinner!”

Wouldn’t it be good if someone with authority would calmly explain that everything will be OK?

“Well, it’s my wife that does all the organising and preparation. I just turn up on the day.”

Wouldn’t it be good if someone with authority would firmly insist that you made a contribution?

“I know we agreed to go out on Boxing Day but I forgot and I’ve asked the neighbours around. I don’t want to disappoint them. I don’t know what to do.”

Wouldn’t it be good if someone with authority would forgive you?

“I don’t agree with your uncle. I’ve never agreed with your uncle. I’m not having your uncle around and that’s that”

Wouldn’t it be good if someone with authority would firmly insist that it is not acceptable to exclude someone simply because you don’t see eye to eye?

“I’m not going to be a bother. I’ll spend Christmas on my own”

Wouldn’t it be good if someone with authority would gently implore you to reach out and let other people into your life?

The beauty of scripture is that it speaks to different people in different ways. To me, the ailments described in the Galilean healing miracles in the Gospel of Mark are metaphors for states of mind and Jesus is exactly that voice of authority.

Isn’t the Capernaum Demoniac fearful because he is not open hearted?

Isn’t Simon’s Mother in Law, in an effort to do right by her daughter, stressed in making preparations for Simon’s guests?

Isn’t the Leper parasitically living off someone else’s good will?

Isn’t the Paralytic, torn as he is between different commitments, paralysed by guilt?

Isn’t the Man with the Withered Hand inhibited in reaching out because of his small-minded intolerance of others?

Isn’t the Woman with the Haemorrhage isolated because she doesn’t wish to bother with others?

The emotions we feel are as old as humanity itself but we shouldn’t always respond automatically to them. Instead we should step back and listen to that Voice of Authority.
There’s one way to have a joyful, peaceful and whole-ly experience at the festive time of year. That is to put Christ into Christmas.

Have a joyful and peaceful 2010.

Dominick

A New Year

OK.
The words may not always be particularly polished; and the structure would be better if this was a formal piece but this medium has its compensations. Ideas can be quickly floated into the web-wide world and....., hopefully, those ideas will generate responses.

And this is the point.

I want these ideas to resonate with others. I want them to strike a chord. I want others to recognise what I have come to believe..., belatedly.

The Gospel of Mark is likely to be the earliest Gospel in the New Testament Canon. And it is a magnificent work of literature - a work of parable and allegory, myth and metaphor. A work that describes what it is to be human which, far from being a literal description of the life of Christ, is a work that highlights our human failings and encourages us to come together as one people with a common identity.

The psychological and sociological benefits of a Christian identity are plain but the problem for me has always been this.

If Christ is the only Son of a supernatural being then other religions are simply plain wrong and I cannot accept that.

If Jesus was simply a preacher around whom a divine myth has been created then the miracle accounts look like propaganda and this results in a very weak Faith.

If Jesus is both Man and supernatural being, this simply compounds the problem.

But let us regard the Christ in Mark's Gospel as Divine Reason. The equivalent to the Logos in the prologue of John's Gospel.

That Logos that embraces the Self but encompasses the Family.
That Logos that embraces the Family but encompasses the Community.
That Logos that embraces the Community but encompasses Society.
That Logos that embraces Society but encompasses Humanity.
That Logos that embraces Humanity but encompasses the World.
That Logos that embraces the World but encompasses the Cosmos.

I am no theologian and if what I write appears naive or trite, I ask for your tolerance. But if we see Christ as that Divine Reason that prompts us to look beyond ourselves, then the Gospel of Mark comes alive.

May Christ be with you throughout 2010 and always.

Dominick