Mark 1:1-8 (NRSV)
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Chapter 1The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Verse 2As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
Devotion
There are a number of things about John the baptizer that would disqualify him from polite society. He didn't dress well. He seemed to shout a lot. And he went about upsetting the status quo. Yet this voice from the wilderness had it right on at least two counts. Hearers are obliged to repent. And Jesus is the one. In Advent we make room for the topsy-turvy John who calls for a re-alignment of creation and the human heart.
Prayer
Judging and forgiving God, you sent John to preach a message of repentance and forgiveness. May we hear that message, turn to the one to whom he points, and live. Amen.