6 January 2018
Christmas Weekday
The Prologue of the Gospel of Mark offers rich theological reflections: the rooting of Christian faith in the Jewish scripture; joy in the good news; the wilderness as the place of testing; the role of John the Baptist as the one who prepares the way; the presentation of Jesus as the stronger one; the baptismal adoption; and the beginning of a journey to a new discipleship. Perhaps in our prayer today, we can pick one of these themes among the many for our reflection. Or, pick any image from the Prologue for reflection: the heavens being torn open or the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Jesus or a voice coming from the heavens. Let us allow God to work in any of these themes or images in our own lives.
The Prologue of Mark’s Gospel can also be a passage that invites us to put ourselves into the shoes of a witness to John the Baptist’s proclamation and the baptism of Christ. Let us picture ourselves standing in familiar surroundings as John proclaims the good news. What would that be like? What reactions does he spark? At Jesus’s baptism, see the dunking in the Holy Spirit and the tearing open of the sky. Imagine the scene as vividly as possible – the voice, the color, the scenery. At the end of our prayer, perhaps we can ask for the gift and grace to believe what we have seen in our imaginative prayer.