Fast Fridays: 30 Minutes for God: Difference between revisions
→Friday, Oct 11: "none greater than John the Baptist"
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On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a scroll; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.</blockquote> | On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a scroll; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.</blockquote> | ||
Thereby John, we may infer, was there to push along salvation from our enemies within us all, and not those beyond us, as the Jews all hoped. | Thereby John, we may infer, was there to push along salvation from our enemies within us all, and not those beyond us, as the Jews all hoped. | ||
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---- | Notice how John's role is consistent with God's "Plan of Salvation" through which that plan is revealed (thus "Revelation") incrementally. God wants us to operate through our own agency, which is why he uses prophets and intercessions. He selected his people through Abraham, he gave them the Law through Moses, and sent prophets to correction and guidance. Rather than just appearing as a man, he came to us through a woman, Mary. And rather than just announcing himself, he brought attention to his arrival through the Baptizer. | ||
[[File:2021-10-10 site of Michael's Baptism pano w- DJ.jpg|none|thumb|1051x1051px| | |||
John's work was completed following his Baptism of Jesus (see [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/3?13 Mt 3:13], [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1?9 Mk 1:9] and [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/3?21 Lk 3:21]) and his own martyrdom, so he disappears from the Gospel stories -- yet, Jesus upholds him as "none greater" among men. | |||
----Note: there yet exists a cult of John the Baptism. These are known as "Mandaeans," a gnostic sect that believes John the Baptist was the final prophet from God. | |||
----Site of Michael's baptism, Oct 10, 2021: [[File:2021-10-10 site of Michael's Baptism pano w- DJ.jpg|none|thumb|1051x1051px|An industrial stream in lower central Pennsylvania.]] | |||
== Friday, Sept 27: "Religion is the opium of the people" (or nothing new under the sun?) == | == Friday, Sept 27: "Religion is the opium of the people" (or nothing new under the sun?) == | ||