the second sunday of advent
the PRAYER …
Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
the READING …
[John the baptizer] proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
the DEVOTION …
According to the theory, Mark’s was the first gospel written. Matthew and Luke came next. And they used Mark’s work as the basis of their own. But they, also, mixed in material from another source – called Q by scholars (short for ‘quelle’, German for ‘source’). So, most of Mark appears in Matthew and/or Luke. But there are some things Matthew and Luke have in common that just don’t show up in Mark. It’s called the “Two Source Hypothesis.” And one of those things in Matthew and Luke but NOT in Mark? The preaching of the baptizer!
So, this week, there are no threats, no warnings. Nothing about broods of vipers. Nothing about wrath-to-come. No axes at the root. No winnowing forks in hand. No chaff. No grain. Most of all, no fire and no smoke! Instead, there’s only a “going ahead!” Only a “preparing the way!” Only “a voice crying out!” Amazingly, when all’s said and done – according to Mark – there’s only Jesus Christ, the Son of God! What better way to begin good news!