Welcome to my Gospel of Mark Series. During
2012-13, each week, I will write a post about the Gospel of Mark as I
review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in
our daily lives. My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of
Mark. I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through
the
liturgical season of Year B.
In today's post, we explore chapter 1:2-8 which is the preaching of St John the Baptist. The prologue of Mark's Gospel (1:1-13) introduces Jesus as He really is. He does this first through John the Baptist who was the last of the Old Testament prophets. St Mark compares him with Elijah, God's messenger in the prophecy of Malachy. Like Elijah, John wear a leather belt, and eats a desert food of locusts and honey ((2 Kings 1:8).
The baptism of conversion asked of all by John is more than repentance and turning from self-centredness. It has to be a turning towards God under the influence of his healing and creative action. It is as Mark called it in greek a baptism of metanoia ( meaning other mind or a new attitude of God centredness to replace self- centredness). This whole of the opening passage fixes our vision on the future provided we have a radical change of heart. We need to be people filled with a deep desire for the good that comes from the fture. Raidcal hope coming from interiour conversion is the true way into the future.
St Mark fixes our gaze on John the Baptist because he:
- symbolized a way into the future by a baptism of conversion.
- wishes to show us that his baptism in water sumbolised dramatically a personal readiness of heart for a baptism with divine Spirit to be given by Jesus, the more powerful one coming after him.
- wants us to realize that God centredness cannot be realized by human effort alone, but we prepare ourselves for it as we wait for it to come as a gift from God.
In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:
- Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this passage of scripture?
- Imagine the atmosphere and stand in the crowd. Try to feel within yourself the atmosphere as the crowds crowd around John to hear his message. How do you feel as you hear his message?
- How am I a messenger of God's word to family/work colleagues, parishioners, those I meet?
- Reflect on a time in your life where you have felt the messenger of God has gone ahead of you to prepare the way?
- How much do I see myself turned toward God and prepared to welcome His coming into my life?
- How will I prepare a way for the Lord?
- What paths do I need to make straight in my life and how will I achieve it?
- What is my attitude to the sacrament of reconciliation- what problems (if any) do I encounter when I think of this sacrament?
- Make a list of areas in my life that need a change of heart and develop an action plan on how this change of heart might occur. (eg name an area and name one/two changes that you will implement with God's help.
- Imagine meeting John the Baptist for the first time. What is my attitude towards him and towards people whose clothes and behaviour are different from mine?
- What impact does the message of John the Baptist have on you (1:7-8). Hear his message as God's message to you.
- How has this passage spoken to you- what does it say to you personally?
It is important to remember that St Mark wishes us to know the person of Jesus. Using a highlighter, mark all adverbs, adjectives or any phrase that describes Jesus or the people around him. You may wish to review last week's verse and do the same thing. As you continue to do this as we journey through St Mark's gospel, you will see emerging the person of Jesus.
Who is the person of Jesus in this passage? We know from last week that Jesus has a title and mission.
What will we learn about the person of Jesus this week?
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