2nd Sunday of Advent: The Camel Hair Road

 

Due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, many of us have been forced to step outside our usual way of living and working. Some have found it's been a time to reassess what's important, which relationships matter most, what's urgent to do and what needs to be let go. It's also been a way to discover how much we need the help of others, just to get by.

About 2000 years ago John the Baptist deliberately chose to step outside the way most people lived. He entered a desert experience, like going on an extreme retreat, in order to experience God. Dressed in camel hair and eating wild locusts, we would have found his appearance strange. Through choosing that lonely 'camel hair road', living simply, he could be alone with God. As a result, he saw what was important and urgent. John the Baptist became a voice for God calling people to prepare for God's coming by reshaping their lives according to God's way of justice and mercy.

You can read about John and his urgent message in Mark's gospel:

"The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight” ’,
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He 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. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ " Mark 1: 1 - 8 NRSV

Here is my reflection of a few years ago on Mark 1: 1 - 8:

I heard a voice crying out in the wilderness.
I heard a voice echoing from long ago.
I heard a voice arriving and calling now.
I heard a voice 'prepare the way of the Lord'.
I heard a voice: urgent beginning of good news.
I heard a voice shouting of one more powerful to come.
I heard a voice: crying good news at the edge.
I heard a voice: shouting truth in lost desert fringes.
I heard a voice:changing hearts towards God and neighbour.
I heard a voice proclaiming through muddy Jordan water.
I heard a voice pronouncing, 'you are forgiven'.
I heard a voice announcing the One to come.
I heard a voice like a finger pointing to One who is good news.
I heard a voice and began to look for Christ in the wilderness.
I heard a voice and replied, 'ready or not, come, Lord Jesus'.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons