Mark 1: On the Shoulders of Ancestors
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The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
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Where did your story begin? The popular American myth is that we are self-made individuals. We earned everything for ourselves.
The Gospel of Mark is very clear: the good news of Jesus Christ stands upon John. And John's ministry was built on the work of Isaiah, hundreds of years before him. Ancestors paved the way for Jesus. The good news is built upon their shoulders.
Upon whose shoulders do you stand?
According to the Apostles’ Creed, we believe in the communion of the saints. We are not cut off from the ones who have gone on ahead of us to glory. The same God who holds us in His hand, now holds them in His everlasting arms. According to most Native traditions, we are not cut off from our ancestors. They cheer us on in the wind. They visit us in dreams. They speak to us in visions.
Today, God is reminding you that you don’t have to make this journey alone. Take time to honor those who paved the way for you. When you stand upon their shoulders you will be able to see further and reach higher than ever before.
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O God, forgive me for thinking I got this far by my own power. Remind me of those who gave so much to prepare the way. Let me hear their voices again, and let me join their unending song.