By tradition, the opening lines of the Gospels correspond to their evangelist’s symbolic creature: Matthew is a winged human; Luke a winged bull; John’s symbol is an eagle. And today’s Gospel passage shows why Mark is a winged lion.
In the desert, John the Baptist roars: “Prepare the way of the Lord!” There are no long-winded genealogies, angelic messengers, or poetic prologues opening Mark’s Gospel. Just a battle cry: “Make straight his paths!” (In his commentary on Mark, biblical scholar Eugene Boring says that the word gospel in a Hellenistic context could mean good news “from the battlefield.”) Mark doesn’t waste any time when it comes to proclaiming the message. Get ready!
The Gospel is not “get on board or else.” Rather, it is the insistence of God’s love that will not stop.
The rush, however, is not because the Gospel is a demand or a threat. It is simply the truth of God who is already here, whose promises are happening now. The Gospel is not “get on board or else.” Rather, it is the insistence of God’s love that will not stop.
The urgency to respond to the Gospel cannot be fueled by fear for ourselves or imposed upon others. Yes, God will not delay, but God is eternally patient, seeking us in the wilderness where we hide our true selves. The good news is that our lionhearted God will always come looking for us, crying out to us that we may be found.
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