Reveal

"The child grew and was in the wilderness till the day of his reveal," Luke 1:80.

Who? John. The kid, who, still in Elizabeth's womb, when she, Elizabeth, first heard Mary's greeting, and she, Mary, had baby Jesus in her own womb, this kid, John, jumped! And now, from the wilderness, cultured pretty much like a wilderness man, he comes out like Elijah into the Judean wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord! He baptizes repentant people who demonstrate their repentance by bearing fruit befitting their repentance. Like Elijah, he challenges the king's rot, who justifies his rot by beheading John. Of whom Jesus said: From those born of women, there has risen no one greater than John the baptizer. 

Today, with a brother or sister, we join in the wonder of this God who moves history to include you and me, too. And we give thanks for the cloud of witnesses who prepared the way for us.