What are some of your memories of hearing the bible? Was it a story in Sunday School? Were there bright pictures, a felt board, crayons and a coloring page? Or Maybe grandparents, parents, or a beloved neighbor read to you from a children’s bible, comfortable in a stuffed chair, snuggled on a lap, special attention just for you. How about Charlie Brown’s Christmas special when Linus explains the true meaning of Christmas? For me, it was the story of Moses parting the Red Sea and then parting it ourselves in the parish hall, each of us taking turns raising Moses’ staff as the others kicked and tossed a sea of red balloons and streamers. After Moses and a few Israelites made it through, Pharaoh’s army followed and we got to throw the balloons, some of us bopping a few soldiers on the head as they collapsed on the seafloor. And then we all changed roles, parting, passing, and balloon bopping again. It was great fun and a great story. A moment for me to fully embody a part of the bible and take it into myself.
3 Advent: Witnesses to the Light
What we know about 1st century Palestine is that decades after John had died, people were still following him and understanding the events of the world through him. One of the most important documents we have about Judaism in the 1st century gives at least twice the space to John than it gives to Jesus. John was a credible witness because he was so popular and had so many followers. So when John the Baptist says to pay attention to this guy, it would have some urgency.
