Mark 1:9-15:
It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. And at once, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him, and a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on you. And at once the Sprit drove him into the desert, and he remained there for forty days, and was put to test by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels looked after him.
After John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Gospel from God saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the Gospel.
The confession that comes of inclusion into the family of God, must be threefold: We must confess to ourselves; we must confess to those we have wronged, and most important, we must make confession to God.
Confession to ourself: Like the Prodigal Son who “came to himself,” we must realize that we have no chance of extricating ourselves from the state in which we find ourselves;
Confession to others: We must remove the human barriers within our power before we can approach God;
Confession to God: This must be a more or less continuous process because although Confession begins in us, it never ends. With our continued consent and cooperation, Christ is able to make all things new.
How do you visualize the struggle of confessing to yourself?
How would you express the removal of barriers within your ability to do so?
What image would you use to symbolize confession to God?
The Icon Through Western Eyes by Russell M. Hart
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