This week, we read about the beginning of the good news. Mark’s gospel is a story without an ending. It only ever begins.
So why not now?
Advent 2B | Mark 1:1-8
The Beginning
From the end of the world as we know it to the beginning!
This is a foundational theme for the way we enter into this season of Advent. And it is fundamental to how we see our faith.
A faith illustrated in the birth of Jesus, the life of Jesus, the death of Jesus, and the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Birth, life, death, rebirth.
And we experience this in our gospel readings, which close out the end of the liturgical year on the precipice of the Passion, to begin the next one with apocalyptic prophecy. Only to find ourselves the following week at the very beginning. Mark, chapter one, verse one.
“The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
Mark 1:1
This beginning again mimics our own desire. Not just for this time of year, but throughout our lives. For many of us, even now, this very moment. To begin again. Start over. Or to at least sort of, restore our lives from a previous save point. Perhaps one where we’re a bit younger and less achy.
This desire is marked, too, in our gospel and tradition in the sacrament of Baptism. To turn our lives in a new direction, toward God through Jesus.
The full text may be found here.
For a limited time, you may find the audio here.