A Poem a Sunday

Advent III – B

December 17, 2017

John 1:6-28

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[a]

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,[b] and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[c] full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,[d] who is close to the Father’s heart,[e] who has made him known.

The Testimony of John the Baptist

19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”[f] 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said,

“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”

as the prophet Isaiah said.

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah,[g] nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” 28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Footnotes:

[a] John 1:9 Or He was the true light that enlightens everyone coming into the world

[b] John 1:11 Or to his own home

[c] John 1:14 Or the Father’s only Son

[d] John 1:18 Other ancient authorities read It is an only Son, God, or It is the only Son

[e] John 1:18 Gk bosom

[f] John 1:20 Or the Christ

[g] John 1:25 Or the Christ

A Poem a Sunday

Advent III - B

Advent Currents

“I baptize with water.

Among you stands one whom you do not know,

the one who is coming after me;

I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.”

Break, break,

oh waves of justice,

and mark the sand

that our land

may be born again.

Baptized by tidal waves

from moonstruck bays

overflow our cities.

Flow and cut canals

for those who know

no freedom – bound

by class, wealth, race.

Blast a sound –

crush walls, crumble barriers.

Flood us furious waves.

Streams of living waters,

break and come!

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