SUSAN IS PREGNANT, CONGRATS.
“Susan is pregnant, she will soon be a mummy.” Such news is common in our culture. Parents rejoice because they are going to add stripes to their grandparenthood, and so is Susan and her husband.
We would have expected St.Luke to do likewise when writing the history of Jesus; Mary is pregnant and she will soon deliver. But he did not follow suit; Luke was not content to even start by mentioning John the Baptist, he went further back in years. To be exact, 700 years before.
He quoted the prophet Isaiah and indicated that the news about the birth of a baby boy was in the plan of God, not 700 years before His birth, but since eternity. As Marcus Aurelius has said:”The things of God are full of foresight. All things flow from heaven.”
Our God is the God Who is working His purposes out. History is not a random kaleidoscope of disconnected events; it is a process directed by God Who sees the end in the beginning. We form an integral part of a ‘process’, in which we can, if we may, participate.
John the Baptist, was announcing a ‘baptism of repentance’. Now, as we know the Jews were used to ritual washing. Tertullian tells us “that the Jew used to wash every day because every day he is defiled.” But a Gentile was necessary ‘unclean’ for he never kept the ‘law’.
But the amazing thing about John was that being himself Jew was asking the Jews to submit themselves to what was expected from the Gentiles. This went against their belief that being ‘sons of Abraham’ their place in heaven was guaranteed, by right. That was a trememdous discovery.
A man had to admit to ‘himself’ that he was a sinner. Just like the younger son in the Prodigal Son parable did. The next thing was to admit his wrong doings to those he had wronged. And the final step was to confess to God and say: “I have sinned. I’m sorry.” Then God says: “I forgive you, son.”
We must admit that, John’s Ministry was very effective. The whole of Judea went out to be baptised. But what was the reason for his success ? First of all, John was a man who lived his mission. His whole life and style of living was witness to what he preached.
He did not live in palaces, in mansions, not even a two-roomed flat, he lived in the Judean Desert. Who has travelled to this desert must have a vague idea of the place. It was called ‘Jeshimmon’ meaning ‘Devastation’. John was man who had given himself a chance to hear the voice of God.
He did not own a wardrobe, with clothes for the different seasons; he wore a garment woven of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. Jesus Himself gave witness to John: “Whom did you go out to see?”
Regards his food, no dinners, or feasting in general. He ate ‘locusts’ which might mean certain small animals allowed by the law. The honey mentioned could have been ‘sweet sap’ that comes out of the trunk of trees. John believed in what he preached and lived what he preached. That is the reason for the success of his ministry. The message is clear.
“Susan is pregnant, she will soon be a mummy.” Such news is common in our culture. Parents rejoice because they are going to add stripes to their grandparenthood, and so is Susan and her husband.
We would have expected St.Luke to do likewise when writing the history of Jesus; Mary is pregnant and she will soon deliver. But he did not follow suit; Luke was not content to even start by mentioning John the Baptist, he went further back in years. To be exact, 700 years before.
He quoted the prophet Isaiah and indicated that the news about the birth of a baby boy was in the plan of God, not 700 years before His birth, but since eternity. As Marcus Aurelius has said:”The things of God are full of foresight. All things flow from heaven.”
Our God is the God Who is working His purposes out. History is not a random kaleidoscope of disconnected events; it is a process directed by God Who sees the end in the beginning. We form an integral part of a ‘process’, in which we can, if we may, participate.
John the Baptist, was announcing a ‘baptism of repentance’. Now, as we know the Jews were used to ritual washing. Tertullian tells us “that the Jew used to wash every day because every day he is defiled.” But a Gentile was necessary ‘unclean’ for he never kept the ‘law’.
But the amazing thing about John was that being himself Jew was asking the Jews to submit themselves to what was expected from the Gentiles. This went against their belief that being ‘sons of Abraham’ their place in heaven was guaranteed, by right. That was a trememdous discovery.
A man had to admit to ‘himself’ that he was a sinner. Just like the younger son in the Prodigal Son parable did. The next thing was to admit his wrong doings to those he had wronged. And the final step was to confess to God and say: “I have sinned. I’m sorry.” Then God says: “I forgive you, son.”
We must admit that, John’s Ministry was very effective. The whole of Judea went out to be baptised. But what was the reason for his success ? First of all, John was a man who lived his mission. His whole life and style of living was witness to what he preached.
He did not live in palaces, in mansions, not even a two-roomed flat, he lived in the Judean Desert. Who has travelled to this desert must have a vague idea of the place. It was called ‘Jeshimmon’ meaning ‘Devastation’. John was man who had given himself a chance to hear the voice of God.
He did not own a wardrobe, with clothes for the different seasons; he wore a garment woven of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. Jesus Himself gave witness to John: “Whom did you go out to see?”
Regards his food, no dinners, or feasting in general. He ate ‘locusts’ which might mean certain small animals allowed by the law. The honey mentioned could have been ‘sweet sap’ that comes out of the trunk of trees. John believed in what he preached and lived what he preached. That is the reason for the success of his ministry. The message is clear.
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