Midweek Devotion for 26 June 2024

Reading

Luke 1:80

The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

Devotion

A couple of days ago, 24 June, was the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist.  This week's painting I saw about a year ago on a trip to Florence.  Raphael's "St. John the Baptist as a Boy" dwells in the Uffizi in Florence.  Created in 1518/19, it depicts a young St. John.  When seen as an adult he is typically portrayed in skins, particularly camel hair.  Here he wears a spotted fur perhaps from some exotic feline.  He grasps a scroll in his left hand.  He is seated on a rock and points toward a cross.  The eyes, particularly when viewed in person, are challenging--they look right into the viewers eyes.  

I think John challenges our modern tendency to reduce life to everything except the spiritual.  Mental, physical, social, aspects of our life are all there are some might say.  The John of this painting appears physically strong.  Although portrayed alone we know he had strong family connections and disciples of his own.  He is familiar with reading and the scriptures.  So perhaps he has well-developed social and mental faculties.  And yet, he points toward something more, the cross, symbolic of incarnate transcendence that exceeds human knowledge.

Repentance, the course corrections we need to make on the voyage of our life, is never something that we are one and done with. (Mandatory nautical reference from a sailor!)  Repentance is what people who desire to live out of transcendent meaning do every day to navigate safely.  We check our navigational aids--the Beatitudes, the 10 Commandments, the Summary of the Law, St. Paul's various lists of gifts, the lives of the saints, the community of faith, and so on.  Sometimes we are on course, sometimes we need minor adjustments, and sometimes we find we've run ourselves aground and are badly in need of grace, forgiveness, and assistance.  Wherever you are this week, dear reader, I pray God's love ensure your Plan of Intended Movement has you on course for a good landfall in Eternity.

Prayer

Almighty God, by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)