Inaintemergatori si vestitori al Domnului (Marcu 1, 1-8) (Predica la Duminica dinaintea Botezului Domnului)
The Forerunners and the Proclaimers of the Lord (Mark 1, 1-8) (Sermon on the Sunday before the Baptism of Lord)

Summary/Abstract: The Gospel according to St. Mark begins not with an infancy narrative like Matthew’s and Mark’s, but about thirty years after the Lord’s birth with the story of the final Old Testament prophet. Isaiah prophesied that God’s messenger would appear first and prepare the way for the Messiah. That messenger was John the Baptist. The Baptist had two messages. He preached repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. John also preached about the One who was coming after him, “the thong of whose sandal” he said he was unworthy to untie. This One, he preached, would bring a different baptism. It would be a baptism with the Holy Spirit, not merely an earthly baptism, but a heavenly one. In other words, he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah. John’s baptism in water for the forgiveness of sins was about the admission and correction of moral failings not just for individuals, but for society as a whole. All the Old Testament prophets addressed injustice and John was no different. They all spoke truth to power. They preached sermons of fire and brimstone against the powers that be. They spoke out against oppression of the poor, widows, orphans, and all forms of inequality. The judgment the prophets said was coming on Israel was because of the faithlessness of the people of God which was manifested in injustice, oppression and inequality in society. That is why many of the prophets were murdered. St. James echoes that message in the New Testament when he proclaims that true religion is the care of orphans and widows in their affliction. James was also a prophet in this social, moral sense.

• Details
• Contents