2009 - Day 2 'Free Gaza Now!'

The Gospel is from John 1 verses 19-28, with John the Baptist pointing to Jesus as he baptises people with repentance. A crucial part of our journey in life is to know who we are. John is offered the chance to be like a great prophet or even the messiah. He knows the calls are a temptation and he knows their danger. We are children of God, not set apart from our brothers and sisters, but one of them. Yet the desire for recognition and authority is always with us. John points to a better way, refusing labels of greatness, and humbling himself before God.

I awoke to see a large piece of graffiti adorning the university wall opposite our house. 'Free Gaza Now'. When I was a lot younger, I used to do my fair share of graffiti writing. We all used to have a 'tag' an identification to demonstrate who had done the most impressive scrawl in the most imaginative place. This graffiti writer was a modern John the Baptist - not pointing to himself, but to greater truths of the kingdom - one day, all will be made free. Those who imprison and cause suffering will be held to account, for their values are not those of God. Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand!