Sunday, December 10, 2017

advent 3 year b - john

John 1:6-8, 19-28
6There was a man sent from God,
     whose name was John. 
          7He came as a witness to testify to the light,
               so that all might believe through him.
               8He himself was not the light,
                    but he came to testify to the light.

19This is the testimony given by John
     when the Judeans sent priests and Levites 
          from Jerusalem to ask him,
               “Who are you?” 
20John confessed and did not deny it,
     but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” 
21And they asked him,
     “What then?
          Are you Elijah?”
He said,
     “I am not.”
“Are you the prophet?”
He answered,
     “No.” 
22Then they said to him,
     “Who are you?
          Let us have an answer for those who sent us.
               What do you say about yourself?”
23John said,
     “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
          ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”
               as the prophet Isaiah said. 
24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 
     25They asked him,
          “Why then are you baptizing 
               if you are neither the Messiah, 
               nor Elijah, 
               nor the prophet?”
26John answered them,
     “I baptize with water.
          Among you stands one whom you do not know, 
               27the one who is coming after me;
                    I am not worthy 
                         to untie the thong of their sandal.” 
28This took place in Bethany
     across the Jordan
          where John was baptizing.

Queeries for the text:
Is the light to which John testifies from the whole electromagnetic spectrum?
Why does the way have to be straight?  Why can't it be queer?
How else do we define ourselves by what and who we are not?
Who else stands (or sits) among us whom we do not know?
When we ask questions, who do we answer to?
Why does John not deny that he is not the Messiah?
How lonely is the one crying out in the wilderness?
Why did the Pharisees send the priests and Levites?

What are your queeries?



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