The Adventure of Advent II

Herald of Glad Tidings in the Wilderness

“The beginning of the good tidings of Yeshua the Anointed. As has been written by Isaiah the Prophet, ‘See, I send forth my messenger before your face, who will prepare your path’ — ‘A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the Lord’s way, make straight his paths’ — John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of the heart’s transformation, for forgiveness of sins.”

— Mark 1:1-4 Trans. David Bentley Hart (Yeshua Mine)

It begins and ends in sin.

Something I want. Something You

may or may not want. Consent

is the mot de jour, but even

when consensual, it may not be

out of desire. It may be

of desire for something else.

This is why we feasted on Friday

for an Immaculate Conception,

free of all this bullshit.

In the scripture an Angel

comes. Mary is, say, sewing.

The angel simply brings her

the news. She did not

decide. She did not

choose. Here

would be someone

to talk to Elizabeth’s someone. Here

would be a new sort of Basileus.

Perhaps a President. Or a Prime

Minister. One who would take

into all account the whole

of Scripture and inflect it

via parable and act.

A Chair, at the Right

hand of God. Free from all this

I want this, I want that.

Wholly of the Being Mode.

But even of pure Being, matter

(mater, mother) must bring us forth.

There is no way without her.

To be human is to come from.

From hummus, clay, earth, from

another human.

Another human who was once told: Do.

Maria knew this had nothing

to do with her, save everything.

We pray to her, still. Some daily,

Some each Sun Day, some only

on Holy Days, but still.

Kecharitomene. All Charitable

Maria, Gloria Plena. Our Life,

Our Sweetness, and Our

Hope. Sweet Clement,

Mild, Placid, Gentle. Where would we Be

Without You. Would you be

forgotten were we not now

here? Were we not here now,

could you forgive us?