Jesse Tree December 18

On December 18th, we added John the Baptist to the Jesse Tree. He is truly a wild and crazy guy as the old Saturday Night Live shtick goes. St. Matthew describes him as wearing camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food consisted of locusts and wild honey. St. Mark begins his gospel with the introduction of John as the voice of one calling in the desert "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him." In the first chapter of the gospel of Luke, John's father Zechariah prophesied at his son's circumcision "You child, will be called a prophet of the Most High for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him.." Finally, in the gospel of John, the voice in the wilderness declares that "He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me."

Clearly, this is no ordinary man! His job was to point to the Christ and tell people to repent for the Lord is at hand! John the Baptist recognized that Christ is the One who is coming to crush the head of the enemy, the devil. John says that he is not worthy to even untie the sandals of the Christ. Like Moses before him, John knew that those feet were holy feet. The feet of Christ, on the cross, would crush the head of Satan and so fulfill the prophecy in Genesis "He will crush your head."

John's message then is the same to us today -- Repent for the Lord is at hand.

On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry Announces that the Lord is nigh;

Come, then, and hearken, for he brings Glad tidings from the King of Kings.

and for my husband I'll include this favorite verse of his

Lay on the sick Thy healing hand And make the fallen strong to stand;

Show us the glory of Thy face Till beauty springs in every place.