“THE CHRIST”
Saint John 1: 19-28
Rorate Coeli: 20 December Anno Domini 2015
Father Jay Watson SSP
No intuitive inspirations; no ad-libs or “off-the-cuff” gems of profound insight because someone thought the Spirit “layed something on their heart.” This is Paraclete penned witness. “…This is the record of John.” The Apostle and Evangelist was writing about an even greater John than himself. This is the Word of The Lord.
John the Baptist had his mission as the voice crying in the wilderness, as the preparer of the way for THE WAY. John had his mission and it was God’s mission. John did not care what others thought of him or what others might do to him. John spoke the truth…he witnessed, that is, he martyred The Truth. People say they like the truth…until it conflicts with what they really want.
Not only do Americans think way too highly of themselves and their opinions, but so too does everyone born of woman. Eve thought higher of her own opinions, insights, and desires than she did of The Word of The Lord. Lutherans are some of the most obnoxious, self-important, pontificating, “know-it-alls” in the world…along with all the others. Everyone wants to talk about themselves and be in the center of the stage. Everyone thinks it, and by it I mean everything, is about themselves! Our arrogance, pride and puffery stinks all the way from the tree of “knowledge” to the six-foot deep trench for decaying bones. The Message of John the Baptist written by The Word, The Word of Hebrew Prophecy, Torah, and Psalm, the Word of His kinsman written in his heart by Christ’s own Words, cuts through all this self-indulgent and vainglorious sin. Repent and believe thunders John the Baptist.
Repent and believe!
Priests needed to slaughter animals for their blood are no longer needed. John points you to the true High Priest, The Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world. But contrariwise, assisting priests who show you this Agnus Dei are not to be belittled or rejected. Levites that wrangle and finagle obscure rites and rubrics for the benefit of enforcement and empty pomp are to be marked and avoided as John did with the informants and toadies of the Sanhedrin. But, the orderly precepts in Moses’ Book of Leviticus—a God pleasing and God ordained Worship based on His Word, His Presence, and His Holy Things, continue to necessitate reverence and piety. Serious sacramental assembly is embraced in the Freedom of The Evangel!
They came to John, The Lord’s pastor, and they demanded of him answers; not in respectful need and urgency but rather in authoritative, foot-tapping expectation. They didn’t like John. John wasn’t their type. John was an outsider who dressed strangely, ate worse-than-ethnic food, and who was uncompromising in his preaching of God’s Law. John was exclusionary and the Jews, with Herod’s blessings, were getting ready to exclude John all the way to a prison cell. But first they wanted answers: “Who art thou?” Where do you get off baptizing good and decent law-abiding, tax-paying, government adoring Jews? Do you think you are some specially anointed Holy Man of God?
John doesn’t equivocate or parse his answer: “I am not the Christ” he confesses. He says to all of you that you should confess your own sins and deficiencies: “You are neither the Christ nor the answer to any of your problems…to anything—period!”
So, so camel-wearing, locus eating, judgmental zealot…who are you: “Elias…the prophet…give an answer…what sayest thou of thyself?” We who don’t wear leather belts and coarse hair shirts, we who stuff our faces with all manner of delectable foods are quick to give sinful answers about ourselves…we can’t stop talking about ourselves and are “great” deeds. Repent and believe.
John’s Word which is The Sprit’s Word turns your head, from the mirror, from the belly, and focuses your eyes on He Who is The Way. Only The One Who was laid out straight on the Cross to suffer and die for your ego and self-will can make the wilderness of your evil straight and paved with the heavenly palms which shine like gold, silver, jasper, and sardius.
John baptized with water because The Lord told him to do so. The water, which cleanses from filth, which satisfies thirst and brings life to all living things, is the Godly picture of what Jesus’ Water of Life does for all of His own. His Water, which is both His Words from His mouth and His Body and Blood from His Holy Wounds, is that which cleanses, quenches thirst, satisfies hunger, and fortifies faith unto life everlasting.
Elias mounted heavens parapets borne aloft in a chariot flaming with Seraphs. John who came in “the spirit and power” of Elias would soon mount heavens glory when he would be taken into Christ’s heart. Though John did not unloose The Christ’s shoe latchet, The Messiah did unloose the Baptist’s sins and trespasses. He likewise absolved you of your sins in the self-same washing—John’s washing in water and Jesus’ washing in Water and The Word…the Blood Word.
“There standeth One among you, Whom ye know…” The Anointed One has + anointed you. The voice of John cries to you: behold—hear…believe! The Voice of Christ says “I love you and I have made all things well…I have you.”
In the Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost
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