Sing, and keep on walking

We are in the middle of the religious season of Advent, when we reflect on the two 'comings' of Jesus - the one which has already happened and the one still to come. All Christians are 'Adventists' in reality.

One of the stars of the first Advent is John the Baptist, a colourful character who splashes across the pages of all four accounts of the gospel. As the son of Elizabeth - a cousin of Jesus' mother - he was also a cousin of Jesus, and they first encountered each other while they both were still in the womb. Judging by the closeness of these two women - while pregnant herself, Mary travelled miles into the hill country of Judea to assist Elizabeth, pregnant late in life - it is reasonable to assume these two cousins, born just months apart, had been close since childhood.

And John breaks out first to prepare the way for Jesus and his coming kingdom. He lived the life of a Nazirite (like Sampson): he did not shave or cut his hair (he must have looked somewhat like a Rasta-farian); he was a vegetarian, and he did not wear fashionable clothes. And his message was quite severe: "Repent! For the Kingdom of God is at hand!"

Harsh words

He had harsh words for public servants: "Police and soldiers: no brutality! Be content with your pay. No extortion! Tax collectors: collect no more than you are due." He was particularly hard on the religious leaders who approached him for baptism: "You brood of vipers!" he called them.

I can hear the scribes and Pharisees now. "Now, John, you don't think your position is a little extreme? You don't see we are coming to be washed in the waters of baptism like everyone else? Isn't this a step in the right direction? You must respect our good intentions. Don't let the best be the enemy of the good. You must compromise a little. Don't be so cynical. It's hard to carry on a conversation with you, John, when you're so inflexible."

And I can hear John's rejoinder: "You snakes! You of all the groups in society should produce good fruit! I expect more of you than these others, because you are experts in the Word of God! Why do you want me to compromise God's word? Did Jeremiah compromise? Or Amos? Or Elijah, even when he was pursued by the king's army? When God sends someone to give a message to his people, you can't soften it to make it more acceptable. What kind of prophet would that make you?

"If you think I'm uncompromising, wait until you see the guy who is coming after me! I'm not worthy even to tie his shoelaces!"

Not satisfied with criticising public servants and religious leaders, John went right up to the palace gate and accused the king himself of not living up to the high standard required of God's servant (which is how kings in Israel were seen in those days). Not liking the message, the king locked up the messenger. And eventually gave the order for his head to be chopped off. John the Baptist got no national honours or official funeral from Herod!

Hard work

Advent is a time of hope, a time of joyful expectation. As we reflect on the kingdom to come, we look forward to a land of peace and justice, where there is full transparency and an end to corruption. But we don't just look forward to it: we have to work hard for it to come. And advocating full disclosure is part of that work, as is speaking out against injustice, as well as pointing the way towards genuinely sustainable development.

During my spiritual reading a few weeks ago, I came across this great passage from Sermon 256 of that great African theologian, St Augustine; he describes how we should comport ourselves as we work to make improvements in ourselves and to build the kingdom - good Advent advice:

"So now, my brethren, let us sing, not to delight our leisure, but to ease our toil. In the way that travellers are in the habit of singing, sing, but keep on walking. What does it mean, 'keep on walking'? Go onward always - but go onward in goodness, for there are, according to the Apostle, some people who go ever onward from bad to worse. If you are going onward, you are walking; but always go onward in goodness, onward in the right faith, onward in good habits and behaviour. Sing, and keep on walking."

Peter Espeut is a sociologist and a Roman Catholic deacon. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com