A Poem a Sunday

John the Baptizer

June 24, 2018

St. Luke 1:57-66 - NRSV

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.”

62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

A Poem a Sunday

John the Baptizer

Name Calling

Abram to Abraham,

Sarai to Sarah,

Jacob to Israel,

Paul to Saul,

Zechariah to John.

The call is

a birth

into God’s claim

and a new name.

(And after that
one is 
never the same).

The comfortable pew

no longer gives comfort

as the desert beckons

and the re-named discover:

the Kingdom disrupts

and tumbles the status quo

and those who are called

have nowhere to go.

But that is the point:

When God gives the word

exile becomes home

even after the return.

No longer at ease

in these, our kingdoms

longing for another birth

and the call 

that goes deeper.

Thank you, dear John,

for your witness,

prophet keeper.

Copyright 2018 by Kenn Storck

@A Poem a Sunday

May be used with permission

kennstorck@gmail.com