Tag Archives: Mark 1:1-8

John, the post-traumatic prophet

My first Advent as a priest was the season of Sandy Hook. That Sunday the Gospel was about John. I realized that he must have grown up in the shadow of that massacre of innocents committed by Herod; although he, like his cousin, escaped, it would leave its mark on his parents and his small self.
I find myself this Advent once again, for obvious reasons, contemplating post-traumatic John the Baptist, his infant self and all that imprinted itself upon him through the coming of the Christ child and the world’s unwillingness to accept the angels’ proclamation of peace upon the earth.
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Year B Advent 2: Comfort ye my people

This sermon quotes liberally and loosely the lectionary readings for the day throughout: Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85, 2 Peter 3:8-15, Mark 1:1-8 Comfort, comfort ye my people. The history of this oracle is the return of the Exiles from Babylon … Continue reading

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