Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,
as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The opening line of Mark’s gospel sounds like it should be a 20 point headline above the fold of a newspaper. This message of hope rang through the downtrodden streets of the ancient world just as it declares hope for us as we deal with the anxieties of our current times. Mark announces the good news that one is coming that fulfills the ancient prophesy of the Old Testament, but we are also warned that it will be a long story, requiring patience, discernment, and faith.

If you are at all like me, when I was a child on a family vacation, I remember asking my parents “are we there yet?“ Often this question came within minutes of leaving our own driveway. Although I did not like the answer, I always remember the greater joy I had in finally arriving at our destinations after a long period of confinement. Somehow, the length of the trip and the feelings of frustration and anxiety melted away in the excitement of arrival. We are on a long journey through Advent and through the pandemic, but the periods of waiting and hope are sure to be rewarded at the end.

For many of us, nine months of the wilderness of this pandemic is long enough. We are ready for the joy, tired of the sorrow, tired of the uncertainty, eager for the promised relief. For all too many around the world, this season has been marked by an empty chair – a picture – a candle – a memory where once a loved one sat.

This second week of Advent marks another week of watchful anticipation for the coming nativity. We know from past celebrations that the cadence of Advent is stretching before us. We know we have experienced much but God has an additional period of expectant waiting and a time of preparation in store for us. Although we do not have the same certainty surrounding current events in our world, we are invited to rest secure in the knowledge that God in God’s infinite mercy and grace waits for us and expects us to use this time to God’s glory. This is a time to strengthen our bond with each other and with God, secure in the knowledge that the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow waits for us, and even more, is with us every step of the way.

As we face what is likely to be a Winter of further despair and increasing confinement due to the pandemic, there is also good news for us. In many past years, we have found ourselves in a headlong rush from the Thanksgiving celebration right through Christmas in a blur of distractions and preparations for the events of the season. Although the pandemic has taken much from us, one gift we have this year is an opportunity to listen more attentively to the prophetic voice that cries out from the wilderness. It is a voice inviting us to pause and fully drink in the blessings of attentive waiting and eternal hope that are the essence of this Advent season.

John the Baptist implores us to eliminate the distractions of the secular world, to repent and focus on that which is holy and compelling. This year is an opportunity to replace the familiar with the essential. We have already shown we can be in community with each other while being apart. One continuing challenge we face is to replace social distancing with emotional and spiritual connectivity while maintaining physical distancing. During this season of unparalleled pain in our communities and the world, let us use this Advent season to prepare ourselves to engage our siblings with a renewed vigor. We can approach the manger with a refreshed sense of commitment to God’s calling to us from the wilderness.

We have been given a rare opportunity to rethink how we approach ministry during a time when the good news of Mark’s gospel is especially needed by a world in pain. May we all use the gift of this most unusual Advent to emerge from confinement with a refreshed excitement for the work that lies ahead. I pray that we will be renewed, invigorated and more fully prepared to join God on this journey and at last, to arrive at our destination, the manger of Emmanuel.