RBWords

     Yesterday's celebration of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord introduced us to the adult Jesus.  Today, Jesus begins his ministry, we are told, after John the Baptist was arrested.  He had been tested and tempted in the desert and now he proclaims his message and invites others to join him.  The message is easily chanted (I actually got a congregation to chant it with me one time).  THIS IS THE TIME OF FULFILLMENT!  THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND!  REPENT, AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL!  These three simple lines sum up the whole New Testament!  Once I got that congregation to say those three lines with me out loud, I congratulated them on becoming preachers!

     Our baptism commits us to this message.  It also commits us to inviting others to join us.  That is what is meant by evangelization.  There are many ways to do this.  We don't have to ask (although some do), "Have you been saved?"  But we do have to live as if we believe the message, with intention.  Baptism alone isn't going to get the job done!

     In the days ahead, the daily gospel scripture will be taken from the Gospel According to Mark.  This is the oldest of the gospels and it has an urgency in it, a kind of "in your face" quality that can both energize and intimidate.  But the message is urgent and demands some enthusiasm.  Jesus will show us how to do it.  In the meantime, repeating that simple three-line message to ourselves and inviting others to join us in it will be our challenge.  AMEN