Years ago, while under call in Baldwinsville (a village outside of Syracuse, NY), the clergy of the village preached for a few minutes on each of the seven last words of Jesus from the cross. I can’t recall which word was mine, but I was a wee bit jealous of the Baptist minister having been assigned the words, “I thirst,” because as he said, all of us can relate to thirsting. In today’s Gospel text I feel on solid ground with the second paragraph, which describes Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness – for we can all understand temptation. In fact, as I type these words, I’m sure there are a few cookie crumbs loitering, accusingly, in my beard.
Jesus clearly understands temptation, not only because he was himself tempted (by Satan, no less!) but because he understands human brokenness. From the woman at the well (John 4:1-30), to the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11); from a cheating tax collector (Luke 19:1-10), to soldier of the occupying army (Luke 7:1-10); Jesus understands brokenness. And whenever there is a line drawn between religion and people who are hurting, Jesus always sides with the hurting. It should come as no surprise, then, that when John the Baptist calls on people to repent and to be baptized as an outward sign of that inner repentance, Jesus wades into the river Jordan to be baptized in solidarity with the broken and the sinful. In other words, Jesus stands spiritually alongside those who were tempted but who – unlike him – succumbed.
Then the heavens were “torn apart” (vs. 10) just as the veil of the Temple will be at the time of his death on the cross (15:38) and God speaks those familiar words, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (vs. 11). If baptism is a rite that identifies to the world that that person is a repentant believer; then Jesus’ baptism identifies him to the world as God’s Son. And, with the descent of the Holy Spirit (vs. 10b) Jesus’ ministry begins.
Here, at the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, as one scholar points out, the early Christian community was engaged in “the unfolding story of Jesus ‘from Nazareth of Galilee,’ so that they too might be caught up by his message and be challenged to believe that neither demonic powers nor brutal rulers can ultimately triumph over Jesus or over them.”
Encouraging words for that early community, encouraging words for a community such as ours taking our first steps together on our Lenten journey.
